


Make My Grave Shallow So I Can Feel the Rain

by orphan_account



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Bad Coping Skills, Clones, Cody needs a hug, Comfort/Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Gratuitous Mando’a, Grieving, He comes back, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Mando'a, Panic Attacks, Rako Hardeen - Freeform, Rape/Non-con Elements, all clones need a hug, no beta we die like men, no one ever taught them better, temporary major character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:28:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 30,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22748593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: As a Marshal Commander, he was the highest ranking clone in the GAR. But, as the Office of the Grand Army of the Republic had been so delighted to remind him, Marshal Commander was not the same as General. And the battalion needed a General.A general who would not, apparently, be a clone.OR [The effect of the Rako Hardeen arc on Cody and the 212th, a battalion still reeling from a Jedi's betrayal at Umbara.]
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex, CC-2224 | Cody & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Comments: 101
Kudos: 428





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> It's time for some of my faves, bromancy friendship, angst, h/c and a sprinkling of inappropriate emotional outbursts. There will be more notes/warnings later on, pay attention to the tags! 
> 
> Title inspired by Gravedigger by The Dave Matthews Band

Cody rarely availed himself of the officer’s quarters available to him in the 212th barracks on Coruscant, usually preferring to bunk in the common area with the men. Recently, however, he’d found he craved solitude more than normal and had begun availing himself of some of the usually overlooked privileges of his rank.

He stared at the bottom of the bunk above him, as he had the entire night through. Idly, his eyes traced the shape of the hand hanging over the edge of the top bunk that he could just make out in the near complete darkness of the small, windowless room. Cody had been nothing short of brooding lately, which he well knew, and would have happily stewed in his misery alone. Unfortunately for him, his ori'vod was not willing to let him and insisted on staying with him while they were both stationed on Courascant, no matter how much Cody bargained, cajoled or glared.

Rex stirred immediately when the chrono alarm went off at 0500, but Cody didn’t move, allowing his brother to reach out and turn off the offensive noise instead.

He heard a few deep breaths then watched Rex climb down from the top bunk and walk over to the wall, turning the lights on to fifty percent. Rex always said one hundred percent lights were downright insubordinate before his first cup of caf.

Rex scrubbing both hands down his face, yawning wide before he stopped abruptly on seeing Cody had not yet moved.

“You alright, _vod_?” He asked, squinting at him, his eyes not ready to be fully open.

Cody remained silent, not so much looking at his brother as through him.

“Codes?”

“I meet him today.” Cody said finally. It was silent for a few minutes and then Rex sighed before shuffling across the room and dropping heavily onto the bunk beside him.

“It’s been two weeks standard already?”

Cody grunted and sat up, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed to the durasteel floor. He dropped his elbows to his knees, leaning slightly against Rex’s side, taking comfort in his presence in spite of himself.

Two weeks standard. Thats how long it took the GAR to locate a suitable replacement and bring them in to take over the battalion.

”Kriff.” Rex said, sounding as tired as Cody felt.

Well, that wasn’t quite true.

Cody knew, intellectually, that he was tired. He hadn’t slept for more than a few hours a night since...

Since.

But he didn’t _feel_ tired. He didn’t feel anything.

Except this heavy, hollow...ache in his chest.

And that was kriffing _exhausting_.

Cody startled slightly when he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up, wondering when he’d dropped his face into his hands.

“It’ll be alright Cody.” Rex assured him, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “It won’t be the same but...it’ll be alright.”

Cody just nodded. He tried not to be resentful of his brother’s optimism. Rex, his _ori’vod_ , who was spending his own precious leave making sure Cody was okay. Who was taking care of Cody’s paperwork so he could focus on his grieving battalion and was sleeping in Cody’s room so Cody wouldn’t be alone.

Rex. Who still had his general.

And Cody didn’t.

With a sigh Cody stood, not quite subtly shrugging off Rex’s hand and ignoring the look of sadness and resignation on his brothers face. Rex pursed his lips, pressing his palms between his knees.

“What time do you meet him?”

“0900.” Cody said, staring at his armor stacked on the shelf at the end of the bed. He wished he could wear it today. He felt naked without it and would have welcomed it’s protective weight on his shoulders. But welcoming a new commanding officer to the ranks required his dress grays. “General Nebulea.”

Cody had petitioned the GAR to allow him to continue to command the battalion alone. He’d done it countless times when Kenobi had been called away on Jedi business or to rescue General Skywalker from some trouble he’d gotten himself into.

As a Marshal Commander he was the highest ranking clone in the GAR. But, as the Office of the Grand Army of the Republic had been so delighted to remind him, Marshal Commander was not the same as General. And the battalion needed a General.

A general who would not, apparently, be a clone.

At this point, Cody was just glad it wasn’t going to be a Jedi. He wasn’t ready for another Jedi. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

“I’ve heard of him.” Rex said, standing and making his way across the room. Cody frowned at the spark of jealousy he felt again as Rex gathered his armor. He was feeling that a little too much toward his brother as of late. “He’s a good strategist. Low mortality rates.”

“Not as low as some.” Cody responded bitterly, his lips twisting as he stared at the floor.

“C’mon, that’s not fair Codes,” Rex chastised lightly, “nobody’s MRs are as low as General Kenobi’s.”

Rex regretted it as soon as the name left his mouth as he watched Cody's posture immediately tightened and t his face smoothed into a mask of stone.

Cody had barely been able to bring himself to add his General to his daily remembrances, resorting to mouthing his name instead of saying it out loud.

“Cody I didn’t...” Rex was cut off by Cody disappearing into the attached refresher. His shoulders slumped and he ran a hand down his face.

Wherever Skywalker and Ahsoka were hunting down Obi Wan’s killer, he hoped they were thorough.

Someone should pay for hurting his _ori’vod_ like this.

* * *

Cody stood at perfect attention in the open concourse in front of the barracks fighting the urge to tug at the sleeves of his dress grays. Behind him the entire battalion stood in the exact same posture as they watched their new General approach.

General Nebulea was a male near-human standing just a few centimeters taller than Cody. He had dark hair, tan skin and nearly luminescent lavender eyes. The only other hint at his non-human heritage was a sprinkling of dark spots near his hairline that traced down his face and neck and disappeared under the collar of his uniform before reappearing on the backs of his hands.

He was escorted by a member of the Coruscant guard and Master Windu.

“General Nebulea.” Cody saluted smartly, keeping his eyes averted over the man’s right shoulder, partially out of respect, and partially because he couldn’t quite bring himself to look him in the eye. “Commander CC-2224 at your service. On behalf of the entire 212th I would like to welcome you.”

“Thank you Commander.” The General dipped his chin and smiled slightly, gesturing at the rows of troopers behind them. “They are quite a sight.”

“Thank you sir.”

“Marshal Commander Cody here is one of the best commanders in the GAR,” Master Windu said, folding his arms into his robe. “There was no one Master Kenobi trusted more. He will serve you well.”

Cody grit his teeth and swallowed hard against the sudden tightness in his throat, though whether it was due to the Master Jedi’s praise or the mention of the trust _(you failed him. you weren’t there)_ his General - former General - had placed in him, he couldn’t be sure.

Gods he missed his bucket.

“I’m sure he will.” General Nebulea took a small step forward, his hands folded neatly behind his back. “Cody, is it?”

“Yes sir.”

“Very good. Has _The Titan_ been refueled and restocked, Cody?”

Cody blinked. “ _The Titan_ , sir?”

General Nebulea cocked his head to one side. “Yes. The renaming of _The Negotiator_ was approved by the General Oversight office yesterday. I would have thought the notification would have been sent to you by now.”

Heat rose in Cody’s cheeks. He hadn’t been checking his memos from the GAR in the last couple of days, he was on leave, after all. And if he'd been avoiding them just a little bit well... the last time he’d opened one it hadn’t had the best of news.

“Yes sir...I...I’m not sure how that one got by me.” He said, his shame at being caught unawares being shoved aside harshly by indignation that this man thought he could just come in and take Kenobi's place and take his ship and karking _rename it_ barely two weeks after his General's death.

_(Former General)_

”I see,” Something flittered across the man’s face before he smiled kindly. “Thats alright. I can’t expect you to spend all your downtime on paperwork, can I?” It sounded like a rhetorical question, so Cody treated it as such. “Either way, she will need to be prepped and the men ready to ship out by 0500 tomorrow morning.”

Cody frowned again, a pit in his stomach. “Sorry sir, I thought we weren’t shipping out until the end of the cycle?”

General Nebulea raised an eyebrow but Master Windu stepped in before he could respond.

“I’m afraid you’ll be headed out early, Commander. We’ve received word of some trouble from the Separatists on some crucial planets in the Mid Rim. The council only made the decision last night, I apologize you weren’t informed.”

Cody’s gaze bounced away from the Jedi to his _(new)_ General, who didn’t seem upset, but was considering Cody closely.

“Yes sir. Everything will be ready by 0500.”

“Very good, Commander,” the General nodded. “You and I can rendezvous once we’re on board for a briefing with some of the senior officers.”

Cody nodded but lifted his chin, squashing his embarrassment with great prejudice. He should be better than this. He _was_ better than this. He would be again. 

His _(former)_ General would expect nothing less. 

“Two-hundred and Twelfth Attack Battalion,” Cody shouted past a sudden tightness in his throat, “Present Arms!”

The sound of nearly a thousand gauntlets smacking nearly a thousand buckets echoed across the air as the men saluted their new general.

Nebulea dipped his chin. “Two Hundred and Twelth, you are dismissed.”

All around him the battalion dispersed to go about their business, but Cody didn't move, instead choosing to stand still and watch his new general walk away with Master Windu, focusing all his energy on stamping down the irrational anger he felt toward the man along with the sudden desire to scream.

"Sir?"

Cody turned his head slightly, his neck as stiff as a braided cable, and he found Boil, Crys and Agro standing there with Evaar and Inks in deep conversation just a little ways beyond that.

Cody felt just a bit of his anger seep out of him, always taking some comfort in the presence of his closest brothers.

"That's the new General, eh?" Agro said, eyeing the man as he walked away. "What's with the spots?"

“This from the guy with a bunch of circles tattooed on the side of his head.” Boil said in a tone that meant he was rolling his eyes.

“Hey!” Agro lifted a hand to the side of his bucket where his tattoo would be.

"I looked him up. His grandfather was Goreean." Crys supplied, ignoring them both. "I wonder if he's telepathic too."

Cody sighed, reaching to massage his stiff neck.

"We're headed out at 0500 tomorrow. Crys, brief the Platoon Sergeants. Inks!" He called, bringing the other two troopers closer, "Take Evaar, get in contact with the Quartermaster at the shipyards and make sure we're resupplied for an extended mission in the Mid rim."

Both men saluted and headed off and Crys grabbed Agro to help him spread the word of their shortened leave.

"Why do I have to come?" Agro groused, adjusting his sniper rifle across his back.

"Because if someone gets upset about our first leave in six cycles being cut short I want to have a face available for them to put their fist into and it's not going to be mine." 

Agro's response was snapped out in clipped Mando'a, though not nearly as harsh as it could have been. Cody knew the real reason Crys took Agro had very little to do with potential violence, though there was no one in Ghost Company more capable in hand to hand than Agro. More likely it had to do with the fact that the usually aggressive trooper had an unexpectedly gentle way with the men who'd been having the hardest time with the loss of their General. It was better if Agro was circulating among the men before they shipped out.

Cody turned to make his way to the barracks with Boil at his elbow.

"I thought we'd have more time," Boil said, quietly enough if it weren't for his vocoder he probably wouldn't have been heard. "The men could use it."

Cody nodded. It was true. It had only been a few months since Umbara and Zygerria. And only two weeks since...

Since.

They really could have used more time to recover. Cody knew he wasn't the only one struggling to sleep at night.

"It will be good to get back into the fight. Give them something to think about." At least, that's what he was hoping.

Boil nodded, then after a moment, "79s tonight?"

It was Ghost Company's tradition to go out the night before ship out, something of a last hoorah. Trying to make good memories before they were thrust into the nightmare fodder that was undoubtedly to follow.

But Cody didn't feel much like socializing.

"I don’t think so. I've got some memos to catch up on." Just in case this new General had decided to rename anything else.

Cody wasn't sure since his expression was hidden under a bucket, but he got the distinct feeling his second in command was frowning at him.

"Yes sir."

* * *

Back in his armor on a bunk in the barracks on _The Negoti - The Titan,_ Cody kept his back turned slightly to the pair of troopers on the next bunk, fighting to keep from flinching.

With fourteen hours of hyperspace travel behind them and another forty-nine to go, the men were keeping themselves busy with their usual hobbies. For Inks, it meant he'd produced a set of ill-gotten flimsi and was sketching out designs for armor art for some of the shinies. For Crys it was laying against the wall at the other end of Cody's bunk watching a holofilm while Boil leaned against him steadily draining a flask of homemade moonshine. 

But it was Agro and Evaar that had Cody feeling twitchy.

Agro laid on his stomach on the bunk opposite Cody with his hands folded under his face. Evaar was leaned far over him, his tongue sticking out one side of his mouth as he concentrated on the intricate tattoo he was tapping out on the other clone's bare back. 

Cody had never liked needles, which was why he was one of the few brothers in the GAR with no tattoos.

Evaar jerked his chin in an attempt to flick his hair out of his eyes.

 _"Copaani mirshmure'cye, vod?"_ Agro growled, his eyes closed. "I've told you to keep that ridiculous hair tied back when you’re doing this."

“Alright alright,” Evaar said, sitting up and pulling a hair tie off his wrist. The sides and back of his head were shaved but he left the top to grow long until the loose dark curls could easily flop forward on his head. With a couple flicks of his wrist he pulled the hair into a bun at the back of his skull.

"Better?" He asked, not expecting a response, and got back to work, tapping the next few injections with just a little more force than necessary.

Agro sucked air through his teeth and growled his annoyance.

Inks laughed from his seat on the floor between Agro's bunk and the one Cody sat on, scratching his shaved right temple with his right hand. His left was drawn up over his shoulder, clasped tightly with Agro's, the matching tattoos they’d gotten for their _ridurrok_ last year on display. Across their palms was ‘ _darasuum_ ’, a solemn vow. Across the back of Agro's hand read ' _mandokar_ ', while Inks had chosen ' _shereshoy_ '. Both words had suited their owners perfectly, but were also the two halves of a whole _mando'ade_.

And Inks always liked to say he became whole when Agro came into his life.

Agro rarely was so expressive with his feelings, but had quickly decided to paint the words onto the backs of their gauntlets as well, so the vow they'd taken was never out of sight. 

"Easy _vod'ika_. I'm not going to protect you when you let him up." Inks said smile partially obscured by the blue tipped strands cascading from the left side of his head. He never called Evaar by his name. He’d been so ecstatic to have a new 'baby brother' in the group so that he was no longer the youngest that he’d gotten into the habit of only ever calling him ‘little brother’.

The younger trooper for his part had fallen into the role easily. One of the first to be leave Kamino at the tender age of 9, he was noticeably younger physically than the other brothers, sporting a rounder face and large brown eyes.

Cody had the sinking suspicion sending the _vod_ out younger and less prepared for war was going to become more of the rule rather than the exception as this war went on. As it was he was especially protective of Evaar and encouraged the others to do the same.

Never pausing in his work Evaar didn’t quite smirk at Inks’ teasing, just glad for the distraction tattooing provided. He'd only been at it for about ten minutes but his hands were had already stopped trembling as much as they had been when Agro had offered to let him work on the large tattoo that now covered the majority of his upper back. They were still sweaty though and the white noise in his head was still a little louder than he felt equipped to deal with.

Telling himself to focus, he swallowed and narrowed his eyes at the intricate swirling design he'd penned in on Agro's back, falling into a rhythm that allowed his world to narrow to just his design and the sound of his own breathing

Cody shuddered when Evaar used a cloth to quickly swipe away some blood on Agro's back, and Boil to laughed beside him.

"I don't get you, sir." He chuckled, shaking his head and Cody watched him take another swig of his flask. He’d had quite a bit, then. The bottle was rarely not in his hand and never not in his utility belt since Waxer died. And half a container deep was the only time anyone saw him smile anymore. "I've seen you carry a _vod_ with half his leg blown off to the med tent without batting an eye. But the sight of a little ink bleed turns your stomach?"

Inks looked up from his sketch, a knowing grin spreading across his face, creasing the '212' tattooed under his left eye.

"It's not the same thing." Cody huffed, slamming his bucket on and standing.

Boil nodded. "So you always say, sir."

Cody glared under his helmet and thrust a hand out toward the clump of unoccupied bunks beside them with pillows and blankets askew. "I expect this barracks to be up to regulations when I get back, is that understood, Captain?"

"Yes sir." Boil saluted with his flask, his easy smirk never faltering. "Count on it, Marshal Commander."


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The 212th experience growing pains under the new General and Cody searches for a balance between being the man his brothers need and the Commander he's expected to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are references to self harm in this chapter, if that is triggering for you please stop reading now. Stay safe!

"Captain Rex, may I introduce you to the new General of the 212th, General Wasterk Nebulea." Cody said formally, gesturing toward the man standing beside him before returning his hand to clasp behind his back.

The holo of Rex flickered as he nodded respectfully. 

"Sir." 

"Captain Rex," The general leaned forward slightly to rest his spotted hands on the sides of the bridge's holo emitter, "Where are your commanding officers?"

 _"They're still engaged with Jedi business sir,"_ Rex said evenly, _"I'll be commanding the 501st on this mission."_

Cody sighed. He hadn't spoken to Rex since they deployed, but he'd hoped Skywalker and Ahsoka would have returned by now. It would have meant they'd found Kenobi's killer - anger flared up in his chest but he pushed the distraction away harshly - and made him pay. 

"I see. Are you alright with that, Captain? I'm not sure it's fair for your General and Commander to leave you with such heavy responsibilities in their absence." 

Cody bristled under the implication that Rex was not capable of commanding his own battalion, a responsibility he'd handled on multiple occasions when Skywalker and Tano had been called away. It was no secret among the GAR that the only reason Rex wasn't a commander was because General Skywalker had a Padawan. 

Cody opened his mouth to say as much but Rex cut in, all smooth professionalism and not the hint of bite in his words Cody knew he felt. 

_"Thank you for your concern, General. I assure you, I'm quite capable of leading the men on this mission."_

"Very well," General Nebulea nodded with a thin smile. "I apologize for calling your skills into question. Would you like to get started with the brief?" 

Rex flicked his eyes to Cody's, too quickly for even Cody to decipher what the meaning might be. 

_"Yes sir."_

Cody was well practiced in listening and retaining information without actually paying attention, a skill he'd perfected during a very boring Long Neck instructor's war history lectures on Kamino. So while General Nebulea explained the situation on Korbof and their mission objectives, he stared blankly through the holo projections he called up and reflected on his brief tenure with the General.

This would be the third mission the 212th had run under their new general, and their second week under his command. 

Despite his best efforts to expedite the process, Cody was still trying to get used to serving under General Nebulea. His reflexive dislike of the man for simply not being General Kenobi (and thank the little gods he could now at least think the man's name without losing his breath, it certainly made his remembrances easier) had begun to wane. He was still not exactly comfortable with him though, Cody hadn't been able to put his finger on why that was just yet.

General Nebulea certainly seemed like a fair man. He'd been taking Cody's suggestions into account when it came to strategy, though he didn't always agree with him and more often than not did what he felt was right regardless of Cody's input. He listened at least. And while Cody wasn't used to a General who wasn't there with him on the front lines of a battle, he understood that since the man wasn't a Jedi he wasn't really equipped for the front lines of battle the way Kenobi had been. 

But still. 

There was something. An uneasy feeling in the back of his mind that Cody had learned to trust, that told him not to get too comfortable. Not to trust the easy smile and glowing lavender eyes. 

Something that made him shiver and track the other man's movements when the Admiral was mingling with the troops during down time that Cody couldn't quite put his finger on. 

On top of that, recently the men had begun to grumble. It wasn't anything serious, not yet. Just complaints, really. Annoyance over regulations being enforced that hadn't been before. Flimsi being confiscated. Agro's extra portions of snacks he always managed to swindle out of the KP boys being denied. Access to the holonet rationed. 

Nothing serious, nothing cruel just...different. And irritating. 

There was only so much time one could spend in the training rooms, after all. And the rotations spent in hyperspace were long and dull.

General Kenobi never minded those things, he allowed the men to have as much freedom as he could get away with and took great pride in annoying the GAR by blocking their attempts to tamp down on it, Cody knew. 

_But then_ , the voice in his head reminded him, _General Nebulea isn't General Kenobi._

And for as much as Cody found himself sharing his men's irritation and chaffing under the changes, he knew where he led, his men would follow. So he couldn't allow himself to show his displeasure. If he didn't appear to trust Nebulea, his men wouldn't either and that was the quickest way to lead to a battalion in disarray and a lot of dead brothers.

"Does that sound acceptable to you, Commander?" Nebulea's voice cut through his dark thoughts.

"Yes, sir," Cody nodded immediately. "I suggest we let Sergeant Crys and Captain Boil lead the group that will attack from the flank. They can bring in the heavy artillery after Rex and I clear the first wave." 

"Indeed," General Nebulea folded his arms and stroked his chin thoughtfully in a move so reminiscent of Obi Wan Cody had to bite back a whimper of pain. "I agree on the Captain but I would rather deploy him with the Sergent of Ammo Squad. CT-49.."

"4945, sir. But Blue Eyes isn't..."

"Blue eyes, that's his name!" The General snapped his fingers, nodding enthusiastically. 

Rex blinked. 

"Yes sir," Cody said slowly, locking eyes briefly with Rex again, "Blue Eyes. He's not experienced in this kind of maneuver sir. I really think-"

"Yes, well, no time like the present to give him experience then. I like for my officers to be well rounded. I'd like for him to be on the front for this one. I'm sure Captain Boil can give him any assistance that is needed."

Cody bit his tongue to keep all the insubordinate things he wanted to say inside. 

"Yes sir."  
  
General Nebulea nodded and smiled easily at him, and then at Rex. 

"I believe we're all set then, gentlemen. Captain Rex, we'll see you in orbit over Korbaf in 34 hours." 

_"Yes sir."_ Rex nodded and his hologram blinked away. 

"I'll go brief the men, if we're done here General?" 

"That would be fine Commander." General Nebulea nodded dismissing him with a wave, already turning to speak to Admiral Block.

A few minutes later Cody dropped into his chair in the broom closet known as his office. He picked up his comm to call Crys, Boil and Blue Eyes to his office. The men responded that they would arrive momentarily. As soon as he'd disconnected with them, his comm blinked again and a miniature version of Rex appeared, looking as if he had also retreated to his office. 

_"What was that all about?"_

Cody set the handheld projector on his desk and set his elbows beside it, scrubbing his face with his hands.

"That, _ori'vod_ , was my new General."

 _"Is he always like that?"_ Rex wrinkled his nose. 

Cody shrugged one shoulder. "Like what?"

 _"So..."_ Rex waved his hand for a moment as if searching for the right word, _"Ori'buyce, kih'kovid."_

Cody snorted, the phrase taking him by surprise. 

"Yeah. Usually." Cody scrubbed his hands over his face a few times and leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. The headache he'd been ignoring for the past two days hadn't settled down any and now his eyes were stinging from his lack of sleep. 

He sniffed and opened his eyes to find Rex watching him carefully. 

_"How have you been, ori'vod? Don't look like you've slept in days."_ Rex said quietly. 

Cody smiled halfheartedly. "Only days? I'm doing well then."

 _"Codes."_ Rex frowned, but Cody waved away the concern. 

"I'm fine. Just growing pains of a new CO."

_"How has he been?"_

"Pretty much what you saw."

 _"I've heard he's been making changes. Not all of them appreciated."_

Cody raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What have you heard exactly?" 

Rex shrugged, absently removing his gloves and pulling apart his blaster. _"The men talk. Mine tell me not all of yours appreciate some of the new General's rules."_

"They're not his rules, they're regs that are on the books." Cody defended more vehemently than even he himself expected. He took a deep breath at Rex's look of surprise. "Anyway. Just because General...just because we were allowed to bend the rules before doesn't mean..." 

The chime sounded in Cody's office and he took a deep breath. 

"Look, I've got a briefing. I'll comm you later." He closed the connection and looked to the door. "Come in."

Crys, Boil and the appropriately named Blue Eyes, commonly called Blue, all filed into the tiny space. 

"We're headed to a mission on Korbaf. Captain, you and Blue are going to be leading the attack on the flank. Crys, you're with me. We'll be working with the 501st to clear the first wave of droids for the heavy artillery." Cody explained handing over a data pad with the mission objectives and details of the plan. 

The three men leaned over the tiny screen and Cody could tell when they all reached the same conclusion he had. Their eyebrows drew together in three matching frowns.

"Sir, I don't understand." Blue spoke up first. "Shouldn't Boil and Crys work together on this?"

"These are the General's orders. He feels you could use more experience in that position." Cody explained, carefully modulating his tone and posture to be neutral as he relayed the ridiculous orders. 

"But sir General Kenobi-"

"These are General _Nebulea's_ orders, trooper," Cody cut him off harshly, causing all three men to snap to attention. "Unless you have a legitimate reason as to why you can't take command in the role you have been assigned, I expect no argument."

"Yes sir." The three echoed in unison. 

"Good. Dismissed."

To Cody's surprise, only Blue and Crys moved toward the door, Boil stayed rooted to his spot, still staring at the bulkhead behind Cody's chair. 

"Was there something else Captain?" Cody asked, hands still folded tightly on his desk. 

Boil hesitated and glanced over his shoulder where Crys met his eyes and, after exchanging a small if not significant look, the other trooper pushed Blue out the door and then returned to stand beside his friend. 

"Yes sir." Boil said. 

"What is it?"

"There's been more confiscations, sir." 

Cody took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He sat back in his chair. 

"What was it this time?"

Now it was Crys' turn to speak up. 

"Data pads from anyone who's not an officer. Civvies a few of the men had managed to get a hold of. More of the art supplies. Tattoo inks and needles, Evaar's pens." He paused at that and Cody clenched his jaw, "Agro's spare bandages. Even the _bes'bev_ Ruus was learning to play." Crys kept his tone respectful but the flush in his cheeks made it obvious how upset the whole business had made him. 

Cody grit his teeth but made an effort to look otherwise relaxed.

"Is that all?" 

Boil and Crys exchanges a look again. 

"No."

"I didn't think so."

"Agro got in a fight. He was written up." 

That got Cody's attention. He sat forward on his chair.

"That's the third time in ten cycles." Cody said, lowering his voice as if whispering would make it less true.

Crys nodded, affirming Cody's fear.

"That _jaro or'dinii_. I'll have to report him, he realizes that doesn't he?" Cody found he wasn't sure who he was angrier at, Agro for not being able to control his temper, or himself for having to follow the rules. "He said he would get a hold of himself. He could be called up for reconditioning for this!"

"He knows sir. But, the General sent a few of the shiny soft shells from up top to do the confiscations. One of them didn't take kindly to the fact that Inks didn't want to part with his brushes." Crys upper lip curled with distaste. "Never mind the fact he bought them with his own karking credits!"

"He was just defending his _riduur_." Boil added, sounding like he he half feared for his friend and half had never been prouder of him. 

Cody sat back in his chair, suddenly feeling incredibly old. He rubbed his face again and then dropped his hands into his lap. 

"The GAR isn't going to care about that, are they? They're just going to see a clone with an aggression problem and wipe his brain clean for a fresh start." He slammed his fist in the table. "Kriffing _Di'kut_."

"Sir? Maybe," Boil swallowed, clasping his hands behind his back tightly. "Maybe you could talk to the General. Get him to take it easy on these contraband crack downs."

"Yeah, it's not as if it hurts anyone, sir. These things are good for Morale. And General Kenobi always said-"

"General Kenobi is not here, Crys!" Cody leapt to his feet, his heart tearing open at the sound of his General's _(always his general, forever)_ name and smacked both hands on his desk, the crack of plastioid on allumaloy echoed off the walls. "Obi Wan is dead, and he's not coming back. We are _General Nebulea's_ Troops now. And it is his prerogative as your commanding officer to enforce whatever regulations he sees fit for the good of the men. As the two ranking members of this battalion I expect you to set an example for the others. So I don't care if the General wakes up tomorrow and decides to assign time slots to the Fresher stalls I will damn well expect you both to piss on rotation, _is that quite understood?_ "

"Sir yes sir!"

_"Dismissed!"_

Cody waited a full ten seconds after the door to his office closed to fall back into his chair and drop his head into his hands. 

_Inks' kriffing brushes,_ he through wearily, _If he was my riduur I'd be in the brig right now for tearing the shiny's karking limbs off._ But his anger was pushed aside almost immediately by a cold stone of worry for Evaar. 

The kid had barely been keeping his head above water since losing his squad, suffering from one of the worst cases of survivor's guilt Cody had ever seen, which was part of the reason he'd transferred him into Ghost Company, so he could keep a closer eye on him. 

It was Agro who first noticed the way Evaar would get all twitchy after a battle, rubbing the spot on his neck where his dead squad mates names and numbers were tattooed before disappearing into the fresher for a strangely long time. When he came out the kid always looked haggard, a glazed look in his eyes and a strange looseness in his limbs. It didn't take them long to figure it out. They had communal showers after all. And for as much as they all had scars, Evaar's were too uniform, too precise to have come from a battle wound.

Then, with none of the emotional awareness or tools at their disposal that they needed to take care of such a problem, they did what they had always done for a brother who was hurting in ways none of them had names for.

They improvised.

Cody started pulling Evaar aside when he would emerge from the Fresher, talking to him quietly as Agro wrapped his arms or legs in his smuggled bandages. Crys procured a couple pens for him, encouraging the kid to draw instead. Now Evaar's arms and hands were almost always covered in intricate swirling designs, while Boil began loading huge holo novels into Evaar's data pad to keep him engaged during down time. 

And when those things didn't work, when Evaar grew quiet and distant, slipping away from where they could reach, Agro had come up with a last resort. He walked up to the kid with his own tattoo kit and told him he'd been wanting to get a tat across his back and would Evaar help him? Evaar wasn't allowed to keep the tattoo kit himself, but whenever he needed it Agro let Evaar work on the tattoo on his back, the piercing motion and concentration required gave the kid some relief from his own mind.

But the tattoo needles were gone now. Along with Evaar's pens and Agro's bandages. 

_Of course they didn't confiscate the kriffing vibroknives. Those aren't contraband._

Cody startled at the sound of his data pad going off with a new message and realized his jaw and shoulders were aching. 

He consciously unclenched and rolled his shoulders to loosen them up, picking up the tablet.

He growled. The message was from their fearless leader.

**_Please review Article 245a of Regulation Addendums section 8, paragraph 13 with the men._ **

Cody took a deep breath and then looked up the regulation. 

**RA245 8.13 - All GAR personnel will adhere to assigned sleep stations, limiting no more than one sentient to a bed when inhabiting communal bunk areas whether those are temporary or permanent quarters as assigned.**

Cody tossed the pad onto his desk and slumped back in his chair to stare at the ceiling.

"Kriff it all Kenobi." He whispered at the ceiling. "I wish you were here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mando'a:
> 
> Ori'buyce, kih'kovid - All helmet, no head. Common term of derision for someone with an overdeveloped sense of authority  
> bes'bev - Mandalorian wind instrument also used for combat: a large metal flute with a sharpened, cut-off end  
> jaro - death wish, insane act of reckless stupidity  
> or'dinii - moron, fool  
> di'kut - idiot


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin is sus and Nebulea is more evil than we thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think Canon is clear what the time span of the Rako Hardeen arc is, but here I've stretched it a bit. I'm also playing Anakin as a little slower on the uptake than I think he was in the episode. Forgive me.
> 
> The first scene is a nod to the Barody pairing, which I only very very recently became exposed to and found it incredibly sweet. Whether you do or don't like it, don't worry, it probably won't pop up again.

Cody readjusted his bucket under his arm as he walked the impressive, somewhat intimidating halls of the Jedi Temple. He'd had occasion to visit before, of course, but really preferred not to be inside the place if he could avoid it. Despite being surrounded by crowds and speeders, it was always eerily quite inside the temple and there was a strange, solemn heaviness in the air that made him feel awkward and loud as he clattered around in his plastoid armor. 

It didn't help that he was in search of someone that he feared would not be giving him good news.

After several minutes of walking Cody found himself at a large, domed foyer where two sprawling halls intersected and paused, unsure which direction to go.

"Hello Commander Cody," a lilting feminine voice called to him. 

Cody turned and found a Jedi Padawan approaching, she had green skin and diamond shaped spots across her nose and cheeks. Cody smiled. 

"Hello Commander Offee," He dipped his chin, "it's good to see you." 

Barriss nodded politely in return, her long dark dress swishing around her feet as she approached. Cody always liked Barriss the few times he'd met her. She was quiet and thoughtful, such a contrast to her counterpart Ahsoka Tano, who often took after her Master in her 'leap then look' way of doing things. Cody didn't mind Ahsoka's exuberance, but between her, Skywalker and Kenobi, he'd always found Barriss and her Master's steady dependability somewhat refreshing. 

"And you as well. Did you...need help with something," she smiled kindly, "you look a little bit lost." 

Cody shrugged one shoulder, "I think I am. I was looking for General Skywalker." 

"Oh, I was not aware he had returned. I'm afraid I have not seen him, but you might try his apartment first, in the Southwest tower." 

Cody nodded and then glanced around at the hallways extending in all directions. He lifted a finger to the one directly in front of him, a question on his face. 

Barriss smile turned slightly teasing, and she pointed the opposite direction. "I thought you and your men had an enhanced sense of direction, Commander." 

Cody shifted his bucket to his other arm. "We do, but the Kaminoans didn't count on Courascant where the sun is turned on by an electrician." 

Barriss laughed lightly and the sound made Cody feel just a little bit lighter, a welcome reprieve from the brooding thoughts that had plagued him of late. 

"I suppose that is true." She glanced back the way she'd come. "My master is looking for me, if you will excuse me, Commander." 

Cody nodded again, watching her walk away before he turned in the direction Barriss indicated in search of Skywalker's apartment.

It didn't take him long to find it, his aforementioned keen sense of direction becoming much more helpful once he got to the living area, which he was more familiar with. He realized Kenobi had always brought him in through a smaller entrance off the side of the temple where the hallways were less imposing. His former General must have sensed his unease in the cavernous main hallways and been trying his best to put him at ease.

The thought made Cody's chest squeeze and he breathed deeply a few times to get ride of the feeling.

Cody hadn't yet chimed room marked with Skywalker's name when the door slid open, revealing a haggard, if not smiling, Anakin Skywalker.

"Hey Cody," He said with a small sigh, "come on in." 

Cody did so, a confused frown on his face. 

"Sir, how did you-"

"I sensed you coming. I was trying to meditate," he shrugged, dropping onto the sofa in the small living room opposite a kitchenette that looked as if it was never used. 

"If I'm disturbing you, sir, I can come back later." Cody said, already turning back to the door. 

"No, no it's fine. You're a welcome distraction. I'm terrible at meditation. Obi Wan always said..." He cut himself off and swallowed hard, then smiled again. "Anyway. What brings you to see me?" 

Cody hesitated and then slowly crossed the room to stand before the General. 

"It's um, a personal matter, sir." 

Anakin tilted his head to one side. "I kind of figured, Cody. You don't serve directly under me so it would be odd for it to be war related." 

Cody hesitated, second guessing whether it was his place to ask the question he'd come for. 

Anakin smiled again.

"Relax, Cody. Have a seat, what is it?" He gestured at the chair tucked into the corner beside where Anakin had sprawled on his couch. 

"Thank you sir," Cody muttered automatically, placing his bucket on the floor beside his boots. "I had just...I wondered, sir, how your mission went." He glanced up. "Your investigation." 

Anakins' features tightened and his gaze grew dark, he turned to look at the floor. 

"I thought as much." Then, with a weary sigh he sat back. "I wish I had better news for you." 

Cody clasped his hands together, watching his former General's former Padawan closely, hardly daring to breathe. Silently, he begged him to continue. 

"We tracked Rako Hardeen to Nal Hutta. He was with Cad Bane and that sleemo Moralo Eval. We fought...I'm not sure how but he got the drop on me. When I came to they were gone." 

Cody took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to purge the anticipation and hope and disappointment he felt along with it. 

"But..." 

Cody's eyes shot up and he saw Anakin had leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, "there was something...familiar. I don't..." He bit his lip. "I'm not sure but maybe..." He glanced at Cody. 

"How much do you know about the Master/Padawan relationship?" 

Cody blinked. "Not much sir. It's...I know you're close." 

Anakin's mouth quirked. "That doesn't quite cover it, but you're not wrong. We're close. We have...a special bond that allows us to sense each other more easily than with other sentients, or even other Jedi." He swallowed, his eyes defocusing with that far off look again. "When we were with those bounty hunters there was something...in the Force." He shook his head slightly. "I'm not quite sure that Obi Wan is as dead as we think he is." 

Cody's stuttered. "Sir?" 

Anakin stood, causing Cody to do the same. 

"I need to go talk to the council. Or at least Master Yoda." 

Cody let himself be led to the door. 

"Sir, if you think the General is still alive-"

"I didn't say that." Anakin placed both hands on Cody's shoulders, "Look, I don't know what's going on, and I don't want you to get your hopes up. But there are a few things that aren't adding up so just...leave this to me. If I find anything out, I'll let you know." 

Cody sighed and pulled on his bucket his stomach flipping with anticipation and hope, regardless of his best efforts to stamp it back down. 

"Yes sir." 

* * *

Evaar walked the halls of _the Titan_ command deck thankful, as always, to be wearing his bucket. He always felt safer when wearing his armor and bucket. It was warm, his HUD gave him a tactical advantage in almost every situation and when his brothers made jokes about their new General across the private comm channel he could laugh without being heard. 

He pulled his shoulders back, thankful today because his bucket was hiding his apprehension and the rather childish habit he had of biting his lip when he was nervous.

He stopped outside the doors to the General's office, blinking away the warning in his HUD that said his heart rate was higher than normal.

Of course it was. He'd been summoned to the General's office, between missions, with no explanation. 

And he'd been told to come alone. 

Evaar blew out a breath that came out tinny and metallic through his vocoder and then hit the chime on the door. 

"Enter." Came the immediate response.

"You, asked to see me sir?" Evaar said once inside, glad that he sounded steadier and perhaps a bit older through his helmet. He came to attention in the middle of the room in front of General Nebulea's desk. 

"Yes, Evaar, isn't it?" 

"Yes sir." 

"Thank you for coming, Evaar. Please, at ease." 

Evaar slid his feet apart and tucked his hands behind his back. Silence rolled out between them as Evaar waited for the General to speak.

Nebulea didn't explain his request for Evaar's presence though. General looked up at him from behind his desk, his hands folded neatly on top with an open smile on his face under those unsettlingly purple eyes. 

Evaar had never seen eyes like the General's. They weren't warm and fond the way most brother's eyes were. He felt oddly cold pressed under their stare and he averted his gaze to be just over the General's left shoulder when a shiver ran up his spine. 

"Have you been briefed on the mission to Concordia yet, Evaar?"

"Yes sir. Two small teams will infiltrate the separatist base while our pilots provide air support."

"We will be coordinating that air strike together, Evaar." 

Evaar frowned, tilting his head slightly to the side in confusion. "Sir?"

The General stood from behind his desk causing Evaar to stiffen unconsciously. Nebulea tugged lightly at the bottom of his tunic to smooth the wrinkles and rounded the desk toward the young trooper. 

“Evaar would you mind please...removing your helmet?”

Evaar hesitated, wondering if there was anything he could do or say that would allow him to escape the situation and, by extension, the request. 

Unable to come up with anything, he reached up and broke the seal on his helmet, sliding it off and holding it tightly under his right arm. 

General Nebulea smiled. It made Evaar want to flinch. 

“Much better.” Nebulea tilted his head, taking a few steps forward until he was close enough Evaar could feel his breath on his face. 

“My, you are young, aren’t you trooper? Just like your name suggests.” 

Evaar blinked, dragging his eyes off the wall to find the General’s strange lavender eyes seemed to be cataloging every pore and freckle on his face. He was surprised the General understood his name in Mando’a, but he supposed it was easy enough to look up if he'd had been curious. 

“Yes I...I’m nine sir.” 

The General hmm'd walking slowly in a circle around him, “Nine?” 

“Y-yes sir." Evaar stammered. Had the General just touched his neck? "Nine galactic, eighteen standard.” He tracked Nebulea's movements out of the corner of his eye as he came to a stop in front of him again. Evaar felt crowded, the General seemed to crowd him, somehow filling every square meter of space in the small office despite being the same approximate height and weight as Evaar himself. 

The General leaned in again and Evaar fought not to jerk away when he raised a hand to the side of his face. 

“And yet already you have seen the ugly side of this war. I’m sorry for that dear boy.” The General’s voice came out soft, almost a whisper, sending another shiver up Evaar’s spine. The General’s hands were soft and cold when they touched the scar on his temple, the starburst of uneven, raised scar tissue a daily reminder of the bomb that had claimed his entire squad during his very first battle.

Everyone but him. 

“Yes, sir.” Evaar’s voice cracked when he spoke and he mouth suddenly gone dry, the General was leaning even further into his space, his cold touch trailed down his temple to the side of his jaw and until it landed over the tattoo on his neck.

“CT-6766, Rusty, Gar, CT-3333.” The General raced each character on the side of Evaar’s neck, watching in fascination as the skin pimpled at the shock of his cold fingers in contrast to his hot breath. “Who belong to these names?” 

Evaar had to pull his bottom lip from between his teeth, his eyes watered from not blinking, staring straight ahead at the bulkhead wall. 

“My squad.” His voice had not improved and was cracking even more than before. He wondered at the way the hair on the back of his neck was standing up like he was about to jump out of a LAAT/i into a Seppie barrage. “They died.” 

“I’m so sorry.” The General leaned back so he could catch Evaar’s gaze, though not enough to grant the young man personal space. Evaar could see nothing but pure sincerity in those cold purple eyes. 

He nodded shortly. “Than - thank you sir.” He coughed, straightening his shoulders, not knowing what to make of the General’s strange behavior, nor the way it made his heart race and his stomach feel full of lead. “What did you mean that, um, that I would be leading part of the attack with you?” 

“Ah yes,” The General took a deep breath and stepped back, Evaar's personal space returned to him and felt as if a thousand pounds had been pulled off his shoulders. “I would like you at my side during the battle. I’ve seen your record. You have much promise, I’d like to be sure your talents aren’t wasted.” 

Evaar shrugged. “I don’t...um, thank you sir. But, I’m nothing special. No additional training or programming.” 

The general tsk’d, clasping his hands behind his back, taking a few slow steps resume his circling. 

“That’s where you’re wrong, my dear boy. You’re strong, you’re a fighter. You survived where everyone else in your squad died.” 

This time Evaar did flinch at mention of his squad, but the General had come to stand directly behind him and continued uninterrupted. 

“I see a great many things in you that I find most...desirous. I intend to help you develop them.” 

A few moments of silence set Evaar’s senses on edge and suddenly he felt a tug at the back of his head and a sharp pain spread out on his skull. He jumped and whipped around to face the General. 

“Sir!” 

The General stood still, unbothered by the Trooper’s outburst, one hand still behind his back, the other held a small black elastic in his hand, his face impassive, eyes unblinking. 

Evaar swallowed, trying to get his heart out of his throat and reached up absently, finding his hair had been let loose from his bun, large loose curls falling to one side and across his forehead. 

“There,” The General smiled, this time with his teeth and Evaar wondered if the General’s non-human ancestor’s had been some sort of hunter race. He’d never seen a more predatory look on a bipedal sentient before. “That’s just... _lovely_.” 

Evaar had to swallow hard several times before he could work words out of his throat. 

“Sir may I...may I please be dismissed, sir?” 

After several moments that might as well have been years, the General nodded and Evaar half ran, half stumbled to the door, slamming his bucket back onto his head and squishing the hair on his forehead into his eyes. 

“Oh and Evaar?” 

Evaar stopped at the door control but dared not to turn around.

“I wouldn’t mention this little meeting to any of your brothers. I wouldn’t want them to be jealous of your preferential treatment, it could cause problems within the ranks. Distractions lead to deaths, don’t they Evaar? I know you would never put any of your brothers at risk.” 

Evaar breathed twice and then nodded sharply. 

“Yes sir.” If it weren’t for his vocoder, his voice would have been inaudible. The doors slid open and Evaar left as quickly as he could without actually running. He didn’t stop until he was twelve decks down, through the barracks, past the showers and locked into the nearest fresher stall. 

His helmet suddenly felt claustrophobic and Evaar yanked it off his head, gasping for breath as if he’d just finished one of Commander Cody’s required weekly physical training workshops as he slid to the floor.

Evaar hugged his knees and stared at his reflection in his bucket’s visor, wondering why his whole body was shaking and the white noise in his head felt louder even than when he woke up screaming from nightmares.

He wondered if it was because this time, he couldn't escape by opening his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gods Nebulea is slimy. 
> 
> Leave a comment if you like!


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More angst for my son and a little Cody and Rex bro time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm glad I'm not the only one ready to push General Nebulea out an airlock.
> 
> Mind the tags please, another mention of self-harm in this chap. Be safe guys!

Cody and Rex had just left the medbay where Rex had stood back near the wall and watched Cody make his rounds with the wounded. The medbay on _The Titan_ was full to the brim and the 501st had fared no better, Rex knew. He’d checked in with his own men aboard _The Resolute_ before boarding _The Titan_ for their post mission debriefing.

The two ships would remain in orbit for two more days providing support to the newly reclaimed Republic bases on the surface. The battles had been ongoing for the better part of two weeks and their ranks had taken a lot of hits. Skywalker would have been more careful (Rex had never applied that phrase to his own General before but there it was) but he had been called back to Courascant for some kind of emergency sting operation that involved the Chancellor.

Rex knew, just as Cody knew, if the 212th’s new General had taken Cody’s advice about where to station his men, their losses would have been fewer. 

But there was no telling General Nebulea that. Rex had observed enough interactions on the surface, between Cody and the General as well as the General’s interactions with other clones, including that kid he kept making follow him around, to know the General wasn’t used to his orders being questioned. 

He gave orders. They followed them. That was how it worked. 

And with no Jedi there to insist Rex and Cody be listened to...well. 

The medbays were fuller than usual. 

The barracks emptier too. 

It was why Rex had wanted to go to the gym. Why he’d insisted Cody accompany him. 

“Relax _vod_. You’re wound tighter than a Rylothian viper.” 

Cody glanced at Rex out of the corner of his eye. “That’s why we’re going to the gym, isn’t it?” 

“Yeah. I could do with a good spar.” 

Cody grunted. They stepped into the large training space and found it mostly deserted, much to Cody’s surprise. Normally after a hard battle the gym was overflowing with any _vod_ healthy enough not to be confined to the med bay, throwing themselves into heavy bags and each other until they couldn't stand up anymore. The only outlet they'd ever been taught for the anger and confusion and grief that overwhelmed them. 

“They’re on _The Resolute_.” Rex offered blandly, pulling his arm across his body to stretch out his shoulders, “There were shuttles running all morning. You were in meetings.” 

Cody frowned. “All of them?” 

Rex shrugged, dropping into a defensive stance. Cody did the same. 

“Most of them.” 

“Why?” Cody launched himself forward, getting an arm around Rex’s leg while the other man darted to the left, slipping out of his grasp. Cody tucked and rolled back onto his feet, facing Rex when he answered. 

“Probably ‘cause it’s more fun on my ship than yours.” 

Cody was confused for a moment and then, spinning to his left as he avoided Rex's next attack, “Right, the contraband.” 

Rex nodded, “The Contraband.” He reached out, feigning a swing to Cody’s kidney with his left hand before dropping to sweep his legs. Cody ducked, then jumped, avoiding both attacks and then swung around to grab his friend around the waist, sending them both to the floor. 

“Kix says they seem as worn out as you've been looking.” Rex continued with a grunt, sliding out of Cody’s attempt at a leg lock and flipping them over so Cody was beneath him. He held his arms in place for a moment. “Scratch says your men aren’t sleeping well due to the enforced bunk assignments. And three fights broke out in my barracks over time shares on data pads.” 

Cody didn’t have a response to that. He knew fights had been breaking out more during down time. With nothing but training and the gun range to occupy their time, activities that didn't exactly deescalate their tension, the men were restless and exhausted, which didn't lead to the best decision making paradigms. Cody hadn’t been writing anyone up, instead issuing an unprecedented number of verbal warnings. 

He figured it was the least he could do. 

"Did you write them up?" He asked, his thoughts going briefly to Agro. There hadn't been a response from the GAR on his report, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. 

"No." Rex readjusted his hold when Cody pulled one arm free and swung toward his face. "Didn't see much point. The fighting is just a symptom. They're spiraling Cody." 

With a growl Cody bucked Rex off of him and used his momentum to flip them over. "I know! But what am I supposed to do?" He swore, realizing too late the opening he’d left. Rex slipped him into a restraining headlock, his counter attacks being met and disarmed easily by the well rested Captain.

Rex didn’t answer except to wrap his legs around Cody's and tighten his hold until Cody started to see stars. With another strained swear, Cody reached for Rex’s arm, giving him a quick _tap-tap_ on the bicep. 

Rex released him immediately and Cody rolled away onto his hands and knees as they both caught their breath.

“He’s the General. He makes the rules.” Cody gasped out, swiping a hand across the forehead. 

Rex dropped onto his butt, clasping his hands loosely around his knees. “I know. But I’m not sure how much longer your men can go on like this.” 

Cody sighed, sitting back on his heels and lacing his fingers on top of his head. 

“Yeah.” He stared at the wall for a few moments before turning to Rex, who was watching him with that concerned look he’d been giving him in every holo since their Korbaf briefing. 

“I’ll talk him. I don’t know how much good it’ll do but...” Cody shrugged. “I’ll try. For the men, I’ll try.” 

Rex nodded. 

“For what it’s worth...” Rex hesitated. “I think General Kenobi would be proud of you. I know it hasn’t been easy since...but the men would be a lot worse off if you weren’t here.” 

Cody sighed heavily, feeling shame creep up inside him. His thoughts traveled befirly to the strange conversation he'd had with Skywalker at the temple. The young general hadn't said anything to him about his talk with Master Yoda after that, but they'd also been in the middle of a battle at the time. Still, Cody couldn't help thinking it was the Jedi's wishful thinking that made him question Obi Wan's death. Cody's general wasn't coming back.

Pretending that wasn't true wasn't going to help him. Or his men.

“I don’t know about that, _ori'vod_." He said quietly, sounding defeated even to his own ears. "I’m not sure...I don’t think I’ve been a good commander lately. I haven’t...defended them. I’ve just been following orders.” 

“It’s what we were trained to do.” 

“I know but...” Cody sat back and then flopped down to lay flat and stare up at the ceiling. “I thought the right thing to do was to support the General, follow his lead and the men would follow too but...now I'm just...do you ever wonder if all orders should be followed, Rex?” He finished haltingly, feeling traitorous for even voicing the question.

Rex snorted. “Have you met my General? I question the wisdom of his orders everyday.” 

Cody didn’t laugh and Rex immediately regretted making light of his friend’s feelings. 

With a sigh he turned and laid down next to his _ori'vod_ , crossing his ankles and lacing his fingers on top of his stomach, close enough that Cody's fingertips brushed his arm. 

“On Umbara,” he began, his voice wavering slightly over the word. Beside him he felt Cody stiffen. “I followed orders. I followed them when Krell took our names. When he made us march at speed for 12 hours straight with no rest. When he sent us on a suicide mission and shot down the only idea we had that would have saved lives. I didn’t question him when he arrested Fives and Jesse. Or when he ordered me to put them in front of a firing squad.” 

Cody turned his head and looked across the mat at his brother who stared unseeingly at the ceiling, his knuckles white where his hands gripped each other tightly over his stomach. Rex had only spoken of Umbara once, in the quiet of their shared bunk on Courascant over Hardcase’s last bottle of confiscated moonshine. He'd ranted and screamed and cried and the next morning he'd done his level best to pretend none of it ever happened.

“I followed orders until they led me into a firefight with my own brothers. Until I had to watch Waxer take his last breath and Boil fall apart beside him.” 

Rex turned his head and met Cody’s eyes. 

“I hope it costs you less than it did me for you to realize not all _orders_ should be followed, Codes.” 

* * *

  
Rex's words struck home for Cody. He waited until the 501st had departed to give emergency support to a nearby campaign being led by Plo and the 104th before going to talk to his general.

It had gone about as well as Cody expected.

He clenched his teeth as Nebulea continued to speak in that infuriatingly calm voice of his, asking questions which he didn't expect to be answered, as if Cody was too simple to reason on the matter on his own.

He tightened his hold on his bucket under his arm.

“Sir, respectfully, I just think it would be best if the men had some things they could do when off duty to relax such as-”

”Don't you think the men should focus on training when not on duty? To keep casualty rates low?” The general sat behind his desk, his posture said casual, his hands steepled in front of him, but his eyes flashed at Cody’s continued arguing.

Cody took a deep breath, but didn’t respond to the obviously rhetorical question.

“Isn't it true that adherence to bunk assignments allows the men to get the appropriate amount of rest in order to be at peak efficiency?”

“All due respect sir, the men sleep better when they can be close to their brothers.”

“In my opinion discipline is all the comfort a soldier needs, Commander.” A slight edge entered the General’s tone and Cody’s heart sang _victory_.

“Respectfully sir I must again disagree I-“

“ _Commander Cody_.” Nebulea snapped, shooting out of his chair and leaning over his desk menacingly. Cody stiffened to attention and grit his teeth in annoyance at his automatic reaction. 

“I understand you are used to a certain amount of familiarity with your general and perhaps he allowed a more lax command structure. I can assure you I _do not_. I require professionalism at all times. You have made your complaints known, I have noted it. There will be no further discussion on the matter and I expect my orders to be followed. Is that understood?”

 _Inhale. Exhale._

“Yes. _Sir._ ”

_“Dismissed.”_

Keeping his hands balled tightly at his sides, Cody hooked his right toe behind his left heal and executed a perfect about-face, exiting the room with all the _professionalism_ his General required. 

A very long time ago, when Cody had been a headstrong eight year old, he'd almost been sent for reconditioning. He'd been willful and overconfident and his temper got the better of him more often than it did not. Alpha-17 had been the one to get through to him, after taking him for a terrifying visit to the Conditioning Ward that still haunted his darkest nightmares. The older clone had explained that all Cody's talents and superior skill and programming meant nothing if he couldn't keep a cool head. That the Republic had no use for soldiers with anger issues and you couldn't protect your men if you were always flying off the handle. He'd pressed a reg manual into Cody's hands and told him to memorize it.

Then he'd taught Cody to count.

_Next time you want to put your fist through the wall you count to ten. And you keep counting until the feeling passes._

It had been a long time since Cody had needed to keep himself under control in such a way, age and experience softening some of his raw edges.

But as Cody left Nebulea's office, his jaw aching from clenching his teeth and mind buzzing with words he couldn't say, he kept his gaze straight ahead and counted every footfall that carried him down the hall.

 _1, 2, 3 4_

He kept counting, making no acknowledgment of the trooper who attempted to stop him in the hall other than to hold up his hand. He didn’t break his stride. 

_5, 6, 7, 8, 9_

He had no intention of stopping until he arrived at his barracks, knowing his speed and look on his face would make most of the 212th think twice before trying to stop him.

_3, 4, 5, 6_

He was nearly to his door when the sight of a few brothers huddled in the corner of the barracks caught his eye. The tension in Boil's shoulders where he stood talking to Crys and the gentle hum of Agro's voice, uncharacteristically soft, from where he was a few paces beyond him made Cody's chest hurt for an entirely new reason and he'd changed course to approach them before he had consciously decided to do so. 

Seeing him approach, Crys and Inks looked up and met their CO's eyes,. Cody blinked at the raw fury he saw there. Boil turned toward him and Cody spotted a similar dark look on his face to go along with the rigidity in his movements, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. Cody also noted with some interest that the trio had taken up something of a defensive position around Agro and the brother he was crouched in front of seated on the bunk in the furthest, darkest corner of the barracks. 

As Cody got closer he could hear that Agro was using soft, soothing Mando'a. The kind he only used when helping a brother who'd fallen over the edge of what most Clones considered appropriate on their arguably skewed scale of 'good coping skills'. 

"Sitrep," he said, looking at Boil, then Crys and Inks. The three had closed ranks slightly, sliding so that they were shoulder to shoulder, partially obscuring Cody's view of the pair behind them. 

"We've got it handled sir," Inks said, tilting his chin up slightly, defiant in a way he never used to be before Agro came along. 

Cody narrowed his eyes.

"I don't believe that was my question, trooper." Cody said, just a hint of reprimand in his tone.

Inks remained silent while Crys and Boil exchanged a glance, causing that burn in Cody's chest to turn cold. It wasn't like his men to be so cagey, not to him. After a moment, Boil turned slightly so Cody could see past him. 

The sight made his mouth go dry. 

Evaar was the trooper Agro was kneeling in front of, which he realized now he should have guessed. Nothing got his men's hackles up quite like their _vod'ika_ in trouble. 

The young _vod_ was in most of his armor, unlike the others who wore only their bottom half and their blacks on top, but he'd removed his gauntlets and glove on his left arm. Tear tracks were clearly visible on the young man's face, his hair loose and falling across his forehead making him look impossibly, achingly young. 

Agro looked up at Evaar, his face open and gentle in a way Cody had never seen before. He held Evaar's bare arm gently, still talking in that soothing tone while carefully wrapping his _vod'ika's_ arm from wrist to elbow in a bandage that he must have managed to save from the contraband roundup earlier in the week. 

But the sight that made Cody's stomach roll was the blood. Not because it was _blood_ , though it was caked in the creases of Evaar's trembling right hand, as well as smeared across the white and yellow on his thigh and the bottom of his chest plate. 

But because he knew, without asking, that it was _Evaar's_ blood. Spilled by his own hand. 

"What," Cody choked and blinked and Boil moved so he was blocking his view again. "I thought he stopped. Why-"

"He doesn't have his pens, sir." Inks snarled, though Cody understood his anger now. Understood that the feeling wasn't directly at Cody specifically, but more so at the situation and, perhaps, Cody's rank. Cody felt his own anger returning, smoldering in his belly, warming his face and ears and causing shivers to run up his spine. He made a conscious decision to unclench his fists. "There's no needles or inks for tattoos and-"

Inks stopped so abruptly that Cody looked at him. "And what?" 

Cody didn't know what to make of the fact that instead of answering him, or continuing to stare defiant and silent, Inks turned his gaze to the floor, his frown morphing into something that seemed to toe the line between rage and deep sorrow. 

"And what?" Cody repeated, turning his gaze back to the other two troopers. Crys looked away as well, but Boil met his gaze head on. Cody raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm not going to ask again." 

Boil licked his lips and then swallowed, tightening his arms over his chest. 

"It's the General, sir."

"What about him?" Cody responded evenly, his face frozen and stony.

"He's been requesting a lot of...private meetings sir. With Evaar." 

Cody blinked. 

_1, 2, 3, 4_

"Private." 

"Yes sir." 

_5, 6, 7, 8_

"Why?" 

_9, 10, 1, 2_

Boil hesitated. 

_3, 4, 5_

"You'd have to ask him sir." 

_6, 7, 8_

"I'd prefer you didn't ask Var." 

_9, 10, 1, 2_

"That's not really an option, Boil." 

Anger flashed across his second's face before it was smoothed away. 

"I would _really_ prefer you didn't sir. But...at least wait until tomorrow." He added, seeing Cody's face tighten with anger again, "And I'd ask that at least one of us be with you when you do, either Inks or Agro." 

"Me." Inks said immediately. 

"We'll leave that up to Var, Inks." Boil said, his tone brooking no room for argument. Inks nodded and looked away again. 

Cody sighed, glanced over Boil's shoulder again, where Agro was now seated beside their _vod'ika_ on the bunk with the boy gathered tightly to his chest, his face buried in Agro's neck. Agro met Cody's eyes and Cody saw the fury and rage there that he'd seen on Crys' and Boil's faces, that was still rolling off Inks in waves. The same rage he felt bubbling up inside his own chest. 

_8, 9, 10, 1_

He dipped his chin and Agro nodded back. 

_2, 3, 4, 5_

Cody knew his men had his _vod'ika_ for now. And he knew his own control was at a breaking point. 

Weeks of near sleepless nights and holding himself together with the distraction of battle and sheer force of will had him on the edge. And now this...

Cody needed to get our of there before he did something he would regret. 

_6, 7, 8_

Before he hunted down _his General_ and demanded an explanation, though the ice in his gut told him he didn't really want to know. 

_9, 10, 1_

So with one last glance at the others, he turned and headed straight to his room.

_2, 3, 4_

He crossed the threshold into his Officer's barracks and held his breath until the door sealed behind him, reaching out blindly to smack his hand against the control, the panel squawking plaintively to indicate it was locked. 

Then Cody lost count. 

With a feral growl, he yanked his bucket off his head and used both hands to launch it across the room.

Unsatisfied, he turned and swept his arm across his desk, sending datapads, blaster repair kits and flimsi flying to the floor. 

_Don't you think the men should focus on training when not on duty?_

Cody ripped off his gloves and threw them across the room, followed quickly by his gauntlets.

_There will be no further discussion on the matter. Is that understood?_

His chest plate clattered against the wall, disappearing into the refresher. 

_The General's been requesting a lot of private meetings with him sir._

He ripped the sheets off his bunk. 

_Private meetings, sir._

He picked up his single chair and launched it at the door, the allumaloy clanging spectacularly against the durasteel door. 

_I assumed you'd been notified._

He wanted to scream, he felt as if his entire body was trying to escape his skin. 

_We regret to inform you that High General Obi Wan Kenobi was reported KIA today during a routine intelligence op on Courescant._

Cody dropped to his knees, chest heaving, mind spinning, heart throbbing. 

_You can expect to report to your new commanding officer in two standard weeks, if a more appropriate replacement cannot be found before._

Cody's head ached. He closed his eyes. 

_Stop being a mother hen, Cody, I'll be back before you know it. Mind the men while I'm gone._

" _Ni nibral,_ Obi Wan." Cody choked, kneeling forward until his forehead was pressed against the floor, unaware of the tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry, I failed you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ni nibral - I failed you


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The 212th find out Obi Wan is returning. Cody isn't as happy as he'd thought he'd be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big bro Cody to the rescue!

Cody stared blankly into nothingness, past the data pad in his hand, the screen still on displaying a message from the Oversight Office of the GAR.

The Force. That was the only explanation. His Jedi General had a habit for getting himself into trouble and the kriffing force kriffing _liked him_ so he kept getting out of it. 

Cody was still in shock. 

_**CC - 2224; this memo is to inform you that the reports from the Jedi Council regarding High General Obi Wan Kenobi's death at the hands of Rako Hardeen were mistaken. The General is alive and will be returning to his post with the Two Hundred and Twelfth Attack Battalion effective immediately.** _

If Cody weren't so angry he would have laughed. 

Instead he pinched the bridge of his nose. 

His temples throbbed and his eyes stung with moisture he would not acknowledge. He breathed deep through another urge to laugh hysterically followed quickly by rage at what the last couple months had put him through. Put his men through.

All for...nothing. Apparently.

_'Reports from the Jedi Council'_

And Obi Wan was on the Jedi Council. Cody couldn't be sure, but something told him this hadn't been a simple miscommunication. 

Either way, he needed to tell the men. 

When Cody entered the barracks he got the distinct impression that he'd just missed something. 

The men were all dressed in their blacks, or the bottom half of their armor only, and the majority were dispersing from a loose ring of activity in the middle of the room. Agro was being held against the wall by Inks who had both arms wrapped around his _riduur_ , speaking quietly in his ear. Evaar, the only trooper besides Cody in full armor, stood in front of them both in a loose defensive stance. 

Directly across from them Ammo, Hindsight and Lift were glaring daggers at their brothers, talking low under their breath. 

Boil stood halfway between both groups with his arms outstretched.

"Both of you just calm down," Boil ordered, every bit of his Captain voice demanding he be obeyed. 

"I'll calm down when that _di'kut_ learns to shut his karking mouth!" 

"Oh yeah, Hindsight? I already told you to try and make me!" 

"Agro I swear to stars if you don't stand down I'll throw you in the brig myself!" Boil barked back.

"Is there a problem here?" Cody's voice rang out and the few troopers left gathered who hadn't already noticed Cody and moved away suddenly decided they had much more important things to be attending to somewhere...else. 

Boil, Evaar and Hindsight's trío all snapped to attention, looking for all the world to be innocent, as if they hadn't been about to start a full on rumble in the middle of the 212th Barracks. Agro looked mildly uncomfortable, but was still not able to move because Inks had him wrapped up and pressed against the wall, and he didn't seem like he planned to move. 

"Then _disperse_ , troopers."

Cody raised an eyebrow at all of them before his eyes landed on Boil and he jerked his chin, drawing the Captain away from the others to speak privately off to one side. 

Agro relaxed further as he watched his COs move away and Hindsight and his friends put more distance between them. He tried to shift, but grunted when Inks only tightened his hold. 

"Inks, _cyare_ , I can't breathe."

"Karking good." Inks spat, his face still buried in Agro's neck. 

Agro frowned lightly and tried to angle his head to get a better look at the other clone. Inks has left off his incessant chant of _udesii, udesii, let it go, please vod_ and was instead breathing harshly against the neck of Agro's blacks. He hesitantly lifted one hand to card through the long, blue tipped locks that grew from one side of Inks' head.

"Inks? What's wrong?"

That, apparently, was the wrong thing to say. 

Inks stood up abruptly, an angry twist on his lips and fire in his eyes. 

"What's wrong? _What's wrong?_ Are you really asking me that, Agro?" 

" _Cyare_..."

" _Ne'johaa_." He hissed, jabbing his finger into the middle of Agro's chest. "You _promised_."

Agro huffed. "I know but you heard what that _di'kut_ said. I'm not just going to let him..."

"Oh yes you are. You are going to let Hindsight and Split and Nuh'la and karking _anybody_ else say whatever the Sith hells they want, _tayli'bac?_ " 

"But Inks-"

"No. You _promised me_ , Agro." He said again, this time holding up his left hand so Agro could see the tattoo across the palm. 

_'Darasuum'_. 

Their _riduurok_.

 _Oh_.

Suddenly the earnestness in Inks' voice made sense. 

So did the fear in his eyes. 

"You're already on report. If you keep getting into fights eventually someone is going to write you up again and what then?" Agro was stricken to see tears welling up in Inks' eyes. "Do you _want_ to be reconditioned? Because that's what's going to happen. And then what? What am I supposed to do in this _karking_ galaxy without you?" 

Agro had no words. Instead took a step forward and wrapped Inks up in his arms, and pulled him tight to his chest. He pressed a kiss to the side of his _riduur's_ head.

"I'm sorry, _cyare_." He whispered, "I'll do better, I swear." 

Inks only nodded gripping Agro back tightly. He was silent, but Agro felt the chest of his blacks growing damp between them. 

A few moments later their Captain's voice broke the moment.

"Gather round everybody." Boil's voice rang out in the barracks, drawing everyone's attention. "The Commander has an announcement."

Inks took a couple deep breaths and pulled away from him, dragging Agro along by the hand to join the crowd of troopers forming a loose semi circle around the Captain and Commander. 

Agro couldn't quite explain the sudden glee that was painting his Captain's face, but guessed it had something to do with the data pad Cody had come in with that Boil now held. 

Boil turned to Cody and raised his eyebrows while wagging the data pad at him. "Go on, Cody. Tell them!"

Cody took a deep breath. 

"I've received a message from the GAR. We're...making a stop on our way to our next assignment. We'll be on a two day pause in the Crinoline system for...a personnel transfer." Cody stopped upon hearing a sharp intake of breath and looked up to see Inks' had gone white as his armor and was gripping Agro's hand like a lifeline. 

"We'll be taking _on_ personnel." He clarified. Inks and Agro visibly relaxed. 

"Taking on personnel?"

"Shinies to replace our recent losses?" One trooper guessed.

"But we usually go to Kamino for that. It's not too far out of the way, why the extra stop?"

"We're only taking on one person." Cody said, cutting off the chatter before it could really get going. 

From beside him Boil rolled his eyes. "Just _tell them_ Commander."

Cody wanted to. But how did one tell his brothers that a man they'd all known and loved and mourned for nearly two months had just come back from the dead, right when they were just starting to get used to the change? That the man they'd bled for and watched brother's die for (for the Republic, yes, but the Republic wasn't _there_ , Kenobi was) had lied to them _(it could have been an honest mistake)_ and left them in the hands of that...man _(not his general. not anymore. thank the Force_ ).

Cody didn't know how to say those things. Fortunately for him, the GAR, apparently, did. 

"This memo is to inform you that the reports from the Jedi Council regarding High General Obi Wan Kenobi's death at the hands of Rako Hardeen were mistaken." Cody read from his data pad, "The General is alive and will be returning to his post with the Two Hundred and Twelfth Attack Battalion effective immediately." 

There was a long silence after Cody finished reading and then, suddenly the barracks just _erupted_. 

"He's alive!"

"General Kenobi is coming back to us!" 

"He's coming home!"

The chatter reached a fever pitch quickly, laughter and hugs abounded while a few groups peeled off to spread the word. Inks and Agro were wrapped around each other in the middle of the activity kissing hard, desperate kisses of relief and joy, causing Boil to roll his eyes fondly and push them so that they fell onto the nearest bunk.

They didn't even look up.

For his part, as much as Cody understood the men's happiness and excitement, he found he couldn't quite share in the celebration, a low ache in his chest pulled him back down. The pain of recent weeks still too raw to ignore, even in the face of all his prayers being suddenly, miraculously, answered. 

He wasn't the only one. 

In the throng of troopers all loud laughter and energetic movement, one stood out as silent and still.

Evaar had pressed himself to the wall opposite Cody, one hand wrapped around the forearm of the other, pressing against the bandages Cody knee were wrapped underneath. The kid looked shocked and...lost. 

Cody could relate.

As Cody watched, a soft shell from the bridge entered the barracks and made their way through the barracks. He saw him make a beeline for Evaar, though the smile on his face said he had heard the news, he was clearly a trooper with a job to do. 

After just a few words to Evaar, where the kids face morphed from shocked to downright terrified, they both turned to leave the barracks. 

Cody cut through the crowd of brothers to meet them at the door.

"Throttle, where are you taking this trooper?"

Evaar jumped, not having seen Cody's approach, and the other trooper, Throttle, gestured to the ceiling. 

"General wants to see him. He tried him on the comm but he couldn't hear it over the boys." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder to the troopers still basking in their excitement. 

"Why does he want him?" 

Evaar flinched and Cody narrowed his eyes.

Throttle just shrugged. "I don't question the orders, sir. Just follow em."

Cody's face twisted. "I'll take him."

* * *

Evaar's hands shook and his head was bowed, staring at the floor under his boots as he walked. He wished he had his bucket, though he knew even if he did the General wouldn't allow him to wear it.

He startled slightly when a hand settled heavy on his shoulder. 

He looked over to find Cody smiling encouragingly at him. 

"You doing okay, _vod'ika_?"

Evaar nodded and turned his face to the floor again. Cody tugged on his shoulder and they both stopped walking. 

"Hey," he put his both hands on Evaar's shoulders. "I don't know what the General's been up to lately with you, but that's not going to happen anymore, okay?" 

Evaar went ramrod straight, fear and hope and shame passing across his face.

"You - you won't leave?" 

"No." 

"He'll order you. I think. He doesn't want anyone to...to know." Evaar's voice trailed off and he cast his eyes to the floor again. 

Cody could feel him shaking through his armor. 

He moved one hand to the back of the kid's neck. 

"Know what, Evaar?" He asked, careful to make his tone say 'request' and not 'order'.

After several moments Evaar remained silent and Cody sighed. 

"We'll talk after, yeah?" And he turned to continue down the hall to the General's office, Evaar right behind him.

The door to the General's office slid open as soon as Cody chimed and the man was already standing in the door way.

"Evaar I-" Nebulea cut himself off upon seeing Cody and his pleasant smile morphed into a frown, "Commander, do we have business to attend to?"

"As a matter of fact we do, may we come in?"

The General looked as if that was the last thing he wanted, but politely stood aside and let Cody and Evaar pass, the latter skittering through the door in such a way as to keep as much space as possible between himself and the General.

"What can I do for you, Commander?"

"First, sir," Cody began, impressed with himself for how even his tone was, "might I inquire as to the private meetings you've been holding with Evaar?"

Evaar stiffened beside him, his eyes never leaving the floor as a blush rose in his cheeks. 

Nebulea didn't blink. 

"You may, of course, inquire Commander, though I reserve the right not to answer."

"General, as your Commander I should be apprised of all activities happening in the ship. If there is something you need I would be happy to take care of it so this young, inexperienced trooper can be left to his training." 

A wicked smile flashed across Nebulea's face and his lavender eyes darkened. 

"I assure you, Commander, he is not as inexperienced as you would expect," His eyes flicked to Evaar who appeared to be doing his best to disappear into the bulkhead but the smile melted away when they came back to Cody. "Was there something specific you needed?"

Cody noticed the odd interaction and allowed his frown to deepen, though his tone was all professionalism when he responded. "Yes sir, I wanted to check and see if there is anything you wanted me to take care beyond my normal duties for the change of command prior to General Kenobi's arrival."

"I trust you to take care of what is needed Commander."

"Yes sir."

A pause.

"Is there something else you needed Commander?"

"No sir." Cody answered, not moving from his spot at parade rest in the middle of the office.

"You are dismissed then Commander."

"No, sir." Cody answered immediately. 

"Commander, I have something to discuss with Evaar, _you are dismissed_." 

At the sound of his name Evaar's head snapped up and his whole body stiffened. Cody didn't move.

"Per Article 245 of the Behavioral Code section C subsection 12.3a: 'no enlisted trooper shall have unaccompanied meetings with oversight without the presence of a direct commanding officer', as I'm sure you are aware, General. Since you are so _fond_ of regulations." His smile was feral as he met Nebulea's cold gaze, "I'm not going anywhere. Sir."

The General's eye twitched and he turned to the young trooper in the room, still silent and staring at the floor. Nebulea's face morphed into a mask _(that's all it's ever been, a mask)_ that was pleasant and approachable.

"Evaar, if I have done anything to make you uncomfortable I assure you-"

"No sir." Cody moved to place himself directly between Evaar and his General, completely blocking him from sight. "You can address anything you have to say to me."

Cody took great pleasure in the way the General's features tightened as he rose slowly to his feet, the spots at his hairline darkening. 

"You are aware, Commander, that I will be forced to report this insubordinate behavior to the GAR." His voice was as sharp as the tip of a vibroblade.

Cody lifted his chin. "Yes sir. Just as I will be making a full report to General Kenobi of all the goings on in this battalion in his absence." 

The threat hung in the air between them for several tense seconds before Cody spoke again. 

"Is there anything else sir?" 

The General's lips pursed as if there was plenty else he had to add, but thought better of. Instead, he clasped his hands tightly behind his back and turned to look out the view port. 

"Dismissed."

* * *

Cody shut the door to his quarters and led Evaar to the bed. The kid had been out of it ever since they left the General's office. He'd been stoic and silent all the way to the lift but somewhere between the 21st and 22nd decks Cody found himself with an arm full of armor and a trembling _vod_. 

His sobs had calmed some by the time Cody got him to the bed but he was still rambling in basic and mando'a ( _I'm sorry, jate'shya kyrayc, thank you thank you thank you)_. 

Cody kept up a steady rhythm of running his hand through Evaar's soft hair, silent aside from a quiet chant of ' _udesii, gar morut'yc'_ when he grew worried the kid would hyperventilate. 

After long enough Cody had stopped keeping track of the time, he realized Evaar had fallen asleep. With slow precise movements he laid him back on the bunk. Evaar wouldn't be exactly comfortable in his armor, but they'd all been in enough battles where removing it wasn't an option that he knew the kid would be alright for a few hours. 

Once he was settled, Cody made his way out to the barracks, catching eyes with Boil, Inks and Agro and waving them over. 

"Var is asleep in my quarters." He said, once the three had gotten close enough he didn't have to raise his voice. "If he wakes up I don't want him to be alone. You two go be with him." 

Inks and Agro nodded, immediately heading off in the direction of Cody's room. Boil clasped his hands behind his back. 

"What happened?" He asked, voice low. 

Cody ran a hand down his face. 

"I went with him to meet with the _General_." Cody spat the word, the man didn't deserve the title. "I don't want Var taking another meeting with him unless you or I are present. I don't care what he says."

Boil nodded. "Yes sir." He bit his lip, sliding his eyes over to his CO, who looked more haggard than Boil had seen him in quite some time. "It'll be alright now, Cody. The General's coming back. Our General." 

Cody took a deep breath and nodded. 

He hoped Boil was right. For the men's sake.

For Evaar's. 

For his own. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kenobi returns in the next chap, but his battalion is not exactly as he left it...
> 
> ne'johaa - shut up  
> darasuum - eternal, forever  
> tayli'bac? - Got it? Okay? Understand? (Often very aggressive.)  
> jate'shya kyrayc - better off dead (I used to mean 'wish I was dead', my poor baby!)  
> udesii, gar morut'yc - calm down, you're safe


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi Wan is back, the men are very happy to see him, but there are still issues to work out below the surface.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in doing more research for this fic and outlining the last couple acts, I realized I've already been messing with the timeline, so why not mess a bit more? In canon, the Rako Hardeen arc takes place directly before Zygerria and Umbara, in mine it takes place directly after. Also, the very next thing we'll be dealing with is The Hidden Enemy (aka Slick's Betrayal episode) followed by Trespass (the ice moon with those abominable snowmen and their ice dragons/dogs) and then Lair of Grievous (exactly what it says on the tin). 
> 
> tl;dr - My fic takes Season 4, flip-flops it and then drops it into the middle of Season 1. Make sense? Great.

Cody went to check on Evaar several hours later. After a good spar session with Boil and Crys his limbs felt a little steadier and he wasn't counting anymore.

It was time. 

Upon entering his quarters he found Evaar curled up on the bed in Inks' arms, sleeping somewhat fitfully. Agro was across the room in Cody's recently dented desk chair tipped back on two legs with his feet on the desk. 

Cody raised an eyebrow and Agro's feet dropped. 

"How is he?" Cody asked, tucking his hands behind his back. 

Inks glanced down at the man in his arms with a soft, sad look.

"He's had a couple nightmares."

Cody hmm'd. "I don't doubt it."

Agro sat forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "What do you think the General...did to him, Commander?" He asked quietly, keeping his eyes determinedly on the floor. 

Cody took a deep breath and let it out slowly. 

"I'm not sure, Agro. But I don't think it was anything good." He, of course, had his suspicions. But he'd be sith damned if he was going to voice them to the two men who cared about Evaar the most of all of them.

" _Har'chaak._ " 

"Hush, Agro." Inks reprimanded quietly, tightening his hold on Evaar he stirred.

Cody watched Evaar sleep, going to lean against his desk and unclipping the top half of his armor to set it to aside. 

"Inks." He said after a few minutes.

The trooper met his commander's eyes and sighed, turning back to Evaar. 

" _Vod'ika_ ," Inks said softly, loosening his grip some. He soothed his thumb back and forth across the young man's cheek, the planes of his face still a bit soft and round, not yet having gained the sharp cheekbones the older _vode_ had. "C'mon little brother, it's time to wake up." 

Evaar tensed, his face scrunching into that annoyed scowl as he sat up, rubbing a fist into his eyes. Cody smiled fondly, reminded of early morning drill sessions on Kamino.

The kid's eyes went wide when he saw Cody and realized where he was, all traces of sleep disappearing. 

"Sir I - ow!" In his haste to fly to his feet he'd banged his head on the bunk above the one he sat on and he dropped heavily back down, rubbing his head and scowling again. "That hurt." 

Agro chuckled causing Evaar's frown to turn perplexed, having noticed Agro and inks for the first time. 

"What - what are you doing here?" He looked back at his commander, "what am I?" 

Cody shrugged, "You've been having a rest in here. After our meeting with the General, you seemed to need it." 

Evaar stiffened, the days earlier events flooding back to him. 

"Oh." He whispered, his gaze dropped to his lap.

" _Vod'ika,_ " Inks said, rubbing his hand up and down his back soothingly, "Are you ready to tell us what's been going on?"

Evaar's face paled and he looked between his three older brothers. "No. You don't have to...it doesn't matter now. General Kenobi's coming back. It _doesn't matter_ now _._ " 

"Var, please, we only want to help," Agro said, sitting forward on his chair as if he wished to reach across the small space and gather Evaar up into his arms. 

"I know. I know, I just," he shook his head miserably, looking between them. "Please. Please don't make me say it. I'm okay, I promise." 

"Evaar," Cody said quietly, drawing the kid's eyes to him. "You're not in trouble. We won't be angry with you. If he hurt you..."

"I'm not _damaged._ " Evaar snapped, his face screwing up with determination and anger, but the only thing Cody could see when he looked into his eyes was a terrified cadet. "I'm fine. I can still fight. I can still do my duty. _I don't need help_."

Agro looked at Cody, then Inks, then back at Evaar. "We won't tell anyone, _vod'ika_." He said, softly, Cody and Inks nodded. They made a conscious effort to keep their tones even and their movements nonthreatening. All had helped shinies through post mission nightmares of battles that refused to end even when the _vod_ opened his eyes. 

This didn't seem to be all that different from that. 

Evaar's gaze locked onto Agro's, so he continued soothingly. "This doesn't have to leave this room, okay?" 

Evaar wound his hands together tightly, wincing slightly when he pushed unexpectedly on his bandages. 

Inks gaze flickered quickly to Agro as he pushed a lock of blue hair behind his left ear. 

"Var..." He reached over slowly to place a hand over his _vod'ika_ 's trembling ones. 

Suddenly Evaar shot off the bed and bolted for the door. 

Cody moved without thinking and he caught the young trooper by the shoulder before he could reach the door controls. He yanked him back to his chest, wrapping his arms around him.

For the second time that day, Evaar broke apart in Cody's arms. 

"No, please Cody don't." Var pushed against him, doing his best to slip away but Cody held fast. "Please please _please_." 

Cody kept his gaze locked on Inks and Agro as the two men rose to their feet, hands entwining, and held his breath as Evaar's struggles suddenly changed to a desperate effort to hang on.

"He - Cody he used me." Evaar confessed, his voice cracking apart as he sobbed, his back heaving violently. Cody tightened his hold, crushing his _vod'ika_ as close as he could get him. "He - he made me-" he made a noise somewhere between a gasp and choke and Cody readjusted when he felt Evaar's legs try give out, "like...like we do sometimes for brothers?" His voice pleaded for them to understand, Cody's stomach lurched as his worst fears were confirmed. 

"I said no but - But he didn't care. I didn't want to but he said I had to do it. He said _I had_ to." Cody's eyes stung and he blinked through tears that gathered in his eyes and remained silent. "He said it was my duty that...that....I was made to follow orders. But...but brothers never make you do it if you don't want to. If you say no they _don't make you do it_." 

"No," Cody confirmed immediately in a croaking whisper, "no they don't."

"He didn't care!" He groaned, pushing his face into Cody's shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Cody shifted to place one hand on the back of Evaar's head, "I'm so sorry I wasn't there. You don't have to do anything like that ever again if you don't want to, _vod'ika_." 

Evaar pressed himself tighter into his brother's chest as if he wished he could crawl inside Cody's body. As his vod'ika's cries shook his frame and he clung to Cody's blacks so hard he knew there would be scratches and bruises when he let go, Cody found himself wishing he could fold him inside himself too. 

At least then he would know he was safe. 

Something Cody had failed miserably at otherwise.

"Never again," Cody promised, closing his eyes and pressing his face into Evaar's hair. "Never again, I swear to you." 

On the other side of the room Inks clung to Agro as they watched their commander comfort Evaar. They added their own voices to his solemn vow. 

_Never again._

* * *

The air in the hanger of _The Negotiator_ (because that had been at the _top_ of Cody's to do list on principal alone) was electric. 

The men had never been quite so happy to stand at attention. 

The LAAT/i landed smoothly and the door came up, revealing first the leather boots, cream colored leggings and tabbard and finally the _hilariously_ hairless face of General Kenobi. 

_Obi Wan,_ Cody thought with relief. Whatever these last two months had been (it made the third Corellian hell seem relaxing) it was damn good to see the man.

Inside his bucket he smirked at the sight of Nebulea stepping forward and saluting General Kenobi smartly. 

"I relieve you, General." Kenobi said with a small smile. "Thank you for watching over my men in my rather unusual absence." 

And just like that, Cody's good feeling was gone. 

"I am relived, General. I enjoyed it immensely." Nebulea responded with that same paper-thin smile.

Out of the corner of his eye Cody saw several troopers in Ghost Company stiffen, but thankfully, no one moved. 

Nebulea stepped away toward the recently landed LAAT/i waiting to return with the former General to Crinoline base and Kenobi turned to survey his troops.

The entire 212th battalion had crowded into _The Negotiator_ 's main hanger bay and was standing in crisp rows at perfect attention, eager to welcome the General.

 _Their_ General.  
  
"General Kenobi," Cody saluted, "Welcome back." 

Obi Wan's eyes crinkled when he smiled, blue orbs sparkling despite the bags underneath which spoke to many recent sleepless nights. They were easier to see without his beard and hair in the way. 

"It's good to be home, Cody." He reached up and put a hand on Cody's shoulder and felt his Commander stiffen, then relax a moment later. 

"Yes sir, it is." 

Cody didn't order the men to present, knowing Obi Wan hated almost all Military pomp. Instead he watched in dismay as Kenobi went and climbed up onto a nearby crate. 

"Attention Two hundred and Twelfth Attack Battalion of the Third Systems Army," Kenobi's voice boomed through the hanger and the men straightened audibly. The General tucked his hands behind his back, taking his time to look over the men, almost as if naming them each in his head. Mere moments later his put on sternness melted away and he grinned. 

"It's good to see you." 

Without being dismissed, much to Cody's chagrin, the entire battalion let out a simultaneous whoop of delight and surged forward. Kenobi was almost immediately swallowed up into the mass of plastoid and exuberant troopers. 

"Looking good General!" One trooper with a shaved head called out. 

"No way Smash! The Clankers will never be intimidated by a bald Jedi!" 

"I'll be sure to tell Master Yoda you said so, Nuh'la." Kenobi laughed, causing the trooper to sputter and a handful of others to let out loud guffaws at his expense. 

Cody stood back from the chaos, as he always did, watching over the throng and keeping a keen eye on the pale, bobbing head of _his_ General. 

For all that the last two months had been hell, it really was damn good to see him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, the angst isn't over yet! We've got a lot of issues to work out people.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kenobi finds his battalion is a little touchy around the word ‘contraband’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which, Cody is in desperate need of a hug. Kenobi too, tbh. 
> 
> Some dialogue taken from 'The Hidden Enemy'. - Interestingly, if you watch this episode, in the conversation Rex and Cody have with Kenobi and Anakiin after arresting Slick, Cody is very quiet, standing off to one side, pensive. I'm not sure of the reasoning for this directorial choice, but it suits my fic quite perfectly.
> 
> Thanks for the reviews! You guys rock!

"Commander!" An unmistakable voice called out from behind him and Cody slowed to a stop, allowing Obi Wan to catch up to him before continuing down the corridor. _The Negotiator_ hummed around them, the background noise of durasteel slipping through hyperspace hardly even an afterthought after so many days of blaster fire.

Cody nodded slightly to his General and they both continued down the corridor.

"I'm glad I caught you,Cody. I feel as if I haven't really seen you since I returned."

"Sir?" Cody did his best to sound innocent. He wasn't sure how he'd describe his behavior toward his general over the past few days.

'Avoiding' was such a strong word.

Obi wan tucked his fingers inside the sleeves of his tunic and Cody made a mental note to have someone bring the robe he'd dropped on the planet back to his quarters later.

"Well, we haven't gotten a chance to talk."

"Its only been a week, sir."

"I know. I just," he stopped walking, causing Cody to do the same and they faced each other in the hall. "I wanted to apologize. I know it wasn't fair, leaving you all like I did. It...wasn't my fist choice but..."

"I understand sir," Cody dared to interrupt, forcing his face to remain neutral. "You did what you had to do."

_We always do._

"I did. I'm glad you realize that. Anakin didn't seem to find that to be a good enough reason."

"He's a Jedi, sir," Cody said with a small shrug. "We're just clones. We follow orders."

Obi Wan frowned.

"Still. Orders or not, I'm sure it want easy. I've seen the reports. We lost a lot of men in my absence and...I just wanted you to know I'm aware. And I wish it could have been different."

Cody took just a moment to study his General. The open sincerity in his blue eyes, under short orange spikes as his hair started to grow back. The small concerned frown lines between his eyebrows as well as the pull on his lips that said he truly meant what he said, that he wanted to make things right.

Cody smiled slightly. "I appreciate that sir."

"Perhaps you could catch me up on what I missed over drinks sometime. I have a bottle of Besalisk Whiskey hidden that I had been hoping to share with someone who would appreciate it."

Cody's eye twitched. The 'yes' pressing just as hard against his lips as the 'I'm not ready yet' did _._  


"Perhaps another time, General."

Obi wan stared at him for a moment longer before glancing over his shoulder toward his office. He seemed disappointed.

"Well, I still have some paperwork to catch up on, so, If you'll excuse me commander." He did that odd little Jedi bow and turned away.

Cody watched his general walk off and was suddenly overwhelmed with the desire to _speak_ , to _tell him_.

"General."

Kenobi stopped immeidatly and turned back, a questioning eyebrow raised.

Cody opened his mouth.

_We missed you._

_It was hell without you._

_He hurt us._

_Evaar isn't okay._

_I don't know if I'm okay._

_We should talk._

"Its good to have you back, sir."

Kenobi smiled and dipped his chin. "Its good to be back, Cody."

* * *

Cody's vision was still swimming slightly from when Slick had slammed him into the ground, so he didn't argue when Rex dragged the traitor out of the room by his binders, though the Captain was limping heavily himself.

"I think freedom's gonna have to wait, kid." Rex growled, pushing the younger trooper down the corridor.

Cody walked a few paces behind, having great difficulty in keeping his mind on task. It was hard to believe a brother had betrayed them...but not as hard to believe as it would have once been. Before Umbara. Before Nebulea.

_He said I I had to. He said I was made to follow orders._

Along with Evaar's broken voice in his head Cody heard Slick's layered over the top, angry and desperate.

_She offered me freedom._

The Generals approached from the other end of the corridor and Cody felt a sudden burst of anger.

_We're slaves._

Obi Wan glanced up at the shift in Cody's force signature. Assuming it was Slick's betrayal that had Cody so up in knots he felt his own anger redouble on his Commander's behalf. On behalf of all the men.

"Slick? It was you?" Kenobi's dark look barely conveyed the fury hidden beneath his calm Jedi exterior.

"You couldn't be a greater disappointment." Skywalker looked angry enough to chew durasteel and spit bolts. "How could you do this to your brothers?"

"Only a Jedi would ask that. It’s the Jedi who keep by brothers _enslaved_." Slick spat. "We do your bidding. We serve at your whim. I just wanted something _more_."

He wanted something more. Didn’t they all? In their heart of hearts, in the privacy of their own minds didn’t all clones dream of a future with no war, no orders. A future where they got to choose?

Cody had only occasionally indulged in that kind of thinking, it didn’t do him any good on the battle field.

But these last several months had changed things. After watching Rex harden and start to question his decisions and loyalties, his trust in the Jedi irrevocably shaken after Krell's betrayal. After Watching Boil drink himself into oblivion after losing his other half at the hands of the _dar’jetii_. When he'd watched Inks lose an alarming amount of weight, too worked up over the idea of losing his _riduur_ to eat. After watching Evaar come apart at the seams.

And Cody, useless, unable to protect any of them.

Cody knew he would never dare to dream again.

Generals Kenobi and Skywalker had always had a knack for fitting in with the clones. Skywalker because he had a tendency to jump into battle boots first, which endeared him to the _vode_ who’s duty it was to do what the General did by choice. But Kenobi was...different. 

The men loved Kenobi because he saw them as individuals. He encouraged them to find and nurture that which made them unique and he often put his own, arguably more valuable, life on the line to save a few of theirs. The men loved Kenobi because he loved them.

Cody had always thought he did, anyway. But how do you abandon your brothers? How could you leave them in the hands of a man who seemed to find it to be his very duty to undo the good you'd done.

And then _thank_ him for it.

Kenobi had said he loved them.

And he was the only nat-born Cody had ever called _vod_.

"If you loved your brothers, you wouldn't have put them at risk." Cody said suddenly, stepping forward.

Rex glanced over his shoulder at his _ori'vod_ and realized, with a start, Cody wasn't looking at Slick.

He was looking at Kenobi.

As the other troopers led Slick away and the Jedi turned to leave, Rex looked back at his brother, who was staring off into nothing with a dark look on his face again.

"Hey," Rex said, watching Cody visibly come back to himself. "Don't tell me Slick got to you."

"Of course not," Cody responded the darkness in his eyes fading somewhat. "Just..." he trailed off and shook his head.

"Just what?" Rex started to step toward him but pitched suddenly toward the floor when his right leg gave out.

"Whoa!" Cody reached out and jerked Rex up by his waist, then clenched his eyes shut as a wave of nausea hit him.

He opened his eyes to the sight of Rex chuckling, leaning heavily into his side.

"What a pair were make, eh _ori'vod_?"

Cody made an effort to smile back as he helped his brother down the hall, but the expression fell flat.

Back aboard _The Resolute_ Rex debriefed with Skywalker from a bed in the medical bay.

"Good work today, Captain. If it weren't for you and Commander Cody's quick thinking a lot more lives could have been lost."

Rex sighed. "Thank you, sir. It does make you wonder though, how many other brothers out there might feel the same way? There could be other threats we don't see right under our noses."

Anakin frowned, chewing his lip for a moment, staring at the bed sheets. "Rex, about what Slick said. About...you being slaves?"

He glanced up quickly but Rex remained silent and stared back evenly.

"You don't...I mean...we don't...do we?"

Rex sighed, shifting slightly on the stiff medical sheets. "Well sir, we don't have much choice in the matter."

"No, I don't suppose you do."

Anakin seemed deeply troubled by this, so Rex added, "But its what we were made to do."

And he was struck by how similar the words were to what he said to offer a semblance of comfort to Cody all those weeks ago in the gym.

"I was a slave, Rex." Anakin said quietly, staring at his boots.

"I know, sir."

They were silent for a while longer before their attention was drawn to a figure standing at the opening of Rex's curtained off area of the medbay.

"Commander," Anakin greeted Cody with a nod, then, turning back to his Captain. "Get better soon, Rex. You know Jesse hates it when you're injured."

"Only because he has to take care of all my paperwork, sir."

Anakin patted his good leg and disappeared outside, allowing Cody to take his place at the side of the bed.

"I'm surprised Scratch let you out of his sight." Rex said with a wry grin, shifting slightly to get his weight more off his injured muscles. Groin pulls were no picnic at even the best of times.  


"He made me promise to sit the entire time I was here." Cody explained, pulling over a hard plastoid chair someone had left off to one side and dropping dutifully into it. "I'm sure he'll have Kix looking in on us to make sure I'm living up to my word."   


Rex hmm'd and closed his eyes, hoping to get a little bit of rest before his duty bound nature forced him to start browbeating Kix into letting him return to duty. But Cody kept shifting on his chair every couple of minutes and the noise was grating on Rex's frayed nerves.

"What is it?" He asked, impressed that his tone sounded more patient than he felt.

Cody huffed, for once feeling no compunction to beat around the bush. He rarely did with his _ori'vod_. "I should be angry at Slick."

"Aren't you?" Rex cracked open one eye to look at him. Cody was leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, staring at the middle-distance in front of him.

"Yes. But...not just him."

"Kenobi too."

Cody nodded, startled for a moment that Rex read him so well and then...also not. "He did what he had to, I know. And we don't matter, not really. The safety of the Republic comes first." Cody shook his head. "I _know_ all that. So why am I still so karking _angry_ at him?"

Rex sighed. "He let you down."

Cody remained silent. Rex watched him for a few moments, noting the way Cody's frown deepened with each passing moment as if he couldn't quite make sense of all the thoughts in his head.  


"You should talk to him."

"And tell him what? That he hurt my feelings?" Cody scoffed and rolled his eyes. “That’ll be the kriffing day.”

“It’s not about feelings, Codes.” Rex said seriously. “It’s about trust. You fight at each other's backs. One of you is going to end up hurt or worse if you don’t trust him. And right now, you don’t."

Cody wanted to argue but found that he couldn’t. His _ori’vod_ had an annoying way of getting right to the heart of the matter.

Finally, he nodded, brushing his hands through his hair and then down over his face. He drew his eyes up when he heard the other man chuckle.

"At the very least he could put a reg in place that says if he ever pulls another stunt like this you get an automatic promotion to General so we don’t have this issue again."

* * *

“What’s on the menu tonight men?” Kenobi clapped a trooper on the shoulder as he passed, joining the men in the tight circle huddled around a heater in the darkened Republic base. As of yet they’d been unable to restore power.

Kenobi would very much like to never return to Orto Plutonia. It was worse than Hoth.

Threepwood looked up with a cockeyed grin. “Oh, you’re in for a treat, General. Rations a la Trapper.”

“Ah, so the barely edible rations shall be rendered slightly less edible by some of your very illegally obtained custom made _hetikles_ sauce.” Kenobi said with a chuckle, leaning forward to warm his hands nearer the heater.

He realized after a moment none of the men had moved, nor were they laughing along, shoving Trapper playfully and heckling one another over who could go the longest without sipping water (Trapper’s particular mix of spices made his hot sauce strong enough to peel the paint off a LAAT/i). In fact, as he looked around the group, nearly none of the troopers would meet his eyes and all were emanating pure tension into the Force.

Kenobi frowned. “Was it something I said?”

Beside him, Threepwood shifted uncomfortably. “Well uh, we wouldn’t bring contraband into the camp, sir. That would be against regs. We’d be written up.”

Kenobi started to smile. “Oh, of course not Threepwood.” But Kenobi’s sarcasm wasn’t met with laughter.

“Wait...you're not serious?” He turned and looked around again. The men weren’t avoiding his gaze anymore, instead watching him with uncommon intensity.

“I wouldn’t write you up. Not for something as silly as that.” He said seriously. It took a few moments but Trapper start to smile slowly at him and Threepwood relaxed. Some of the shinier men still seemed wary but Kenobi was satisfied to feel the Force relax around them.

“ _Vor entye_.” Threewood whispered beside him and Kenobi gave him a look that was part mystified and part offense. Why was he _thanking_ him?

“I’m surprised you can handle Trapper’s sauce, sir.” One of the troopers, Spur, broke the uneasy silence.

“The General spent a year on Mandalore when he was a padawan.” Threepwood supplied, dousing his rations in the contraband sauce before passing it to Kenobi, more than slightly relieved when the General took it with nary a word.

“A padawan, like Commander Tano?”

“A might more well behaved I think.” Kenobi smiled. "Though I'm not sure she stood much of a chance with Anakin as her Master."  


To his left, someone snorted, but when he looked, everyone’s eyes were locked on their plates. He chuckled when one of them hissed at the other in mando’a.

“ _Balyc kaysh jorhaa'ir ori'jate mando’a._ ” Trapper said blandly before turning a toothy grin on the rapidly paling shiny, “ _ulur gar uram_.”

A while later Kenobi left the men at the heater to go in search of his Commander and, more importantly, a place to bunk down for the night.

He made his way deeper into the base. They hadn’t taken up in the barracks already established, it was too far inside the empty building where their heaters wouldn’t reach. Better to keep everyone together until full power could be restored.

Instead, the barracks had been set up in a few rooms just off the main hanger and control room. He heard a voices as he approached, and he wondered if the troopers already getting ready to bed down for the night might have seen their commander.

Obi Wan walked into the first room where three beds were already occupied and two troopers sat on the bunk closest to the door, but were facing away from him, talking quietly.

He opened his mouth to speak to them, but stopped upon spotting a stack of flimsi on the bed behind the men. Without thinking he reached out and picked them up, shuffling through the sketches.

They were portrait studies of a clone, that much was easy to tell. This one had a buzzed head like Rex’s, but where the 501st captain had no tattoos, this man had an intricate circle design tattooed over his right ear. He was sketched many times over from all angles. His face lax in sleep, eyes crinkled with laughter, eyebrows drawn together in anger.

Even without the Force echo left on the pages Obi Wan would have been able to feel the love in every penstroke.

He looked up, feeling eyes on him. One set belonged to the clone who’s image Obi Wan held in his hand. The other to a man who had climbed to his feet, head shaved on one side, blue tipped hair grown long on the other, his amber eyes flooded with surprise and...fear?

“Sir,” The soldier’s voice cracked slightly. “Please sir.”

Obi Wan couldn’t help the confused frown that was on his face, brows knitted together.

“What’s your name?”

“Inks.” He swallowed.

“Inks,” Obi Wan tried to smile, hoping to put the young man at ease. “Did you draw these?”

A nod.

“They’re remarkable.”

“Thank-Thank you, sir.”

Kenobi opened his mouth but before he could speak the other clone leapt to his feet.

“Please don’t take them, sir. Inks didn’t...he didn’t mean anything.”

“Agro,” Inks voice was a warning, but Agro ignored it.

“Please sir, they don’t hurt anybody.”

“Take them...” Kenobi frowned again, “why would I take them?”

Inks and Agro exchanged a glance.

“It’s contraband.” He gestured vaguely to the drawings.

“Contraband,” Kenobi spat. “That’s the second time I’ve heard that word today. What in the name of Force _happened_ while I was gone?”

Neither trooper answered and Kenobi found he couldn’t bring himself to order them to. Instead he held the drawings out to Inks, who took them carefully.

“You’re very talented.”

The trooper blushed slightly, hugging the flimsi to his chest. Agro stepped forward, dropping a protective arm across the other’s shoulders and Kenobi nodded once, turning to leave.

“ _Ca’jate_ , men.”

“ _Ca’jate,_ General. _Vor entye_.”

And just when did his men take up the habit of thanking him for treating them with basic sentient decency?

Kenobi decided once he was back aboard _The Negotiator_ he would have to do a little deeper investigation into what exactly went on in his battalion in his absence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vor entye - thanks  
> balyc Kaysh jorhaa'ir ori'jate mando’a. ulur gar uram.- he also speaks excellent mando’a, so watch your mouth.  
> Hetikles - noseburn - burning sensation in the sinuses brought about by specific spices - Mandalorians prize this  
> Ca’jate - goodnight
> 
> Thanks for your kind reviews!!


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evaar is not okay. Cody and Obi Wan finally have that talk they've been meaning to have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THEY NEED HUGS PEOPLE.
> 
> Mentions of a panic attack and implied self-harm below, please be aware.

With the situation on Orto Plutonia resolved, Kenobi took refuge in his office at the first opportunity after the debriefings and seeing Anakin and the others off on their next assignment. 

He stood behind his desk, staring out the view port stroking his beard. 

The number of formal reprimands had tripled in his absence and nearly every personal item the men had had been confiscated. Art supplies, musical instruments, clothes, blankets, trinkets from around the galaxy, flimsi, datapads, photos and letters had all been removed so the men could 'focus' and be 'more effective'.

 _No wonder contraband is such a sore subject._ He thought hotly. And to think he’d actually _thanked_ that man for watching over his men. 

It seemed all he’d done was succeed in making their already difficult lives a living hell. 

Cody had even been reprimanded once for insubordination. 

_Insubordination_.

 _Cody_.

It was almost laughable. 

Obi Wan was pulled out of his musings by the chime on his door. 

“Come.” 

A trooper entered, holding out a set of datapads.  
  
“The reports you requested, sir.” 

“Ah,” Kenobi stepped forward, taking the pads and putting them on his desk. “Thank you.” 

“Sir.” The man nodded curtly and then turned quickly to leave. 

“Oh, trooper?” 

The young man stopped, turning slowly. 

“Yes sir?” 

Kenobi tucked his hands behind his back, smiling to put him at ease. 

“I wonder if I might ask you a question.” 

“Of course, sir.” 

He gestured toward the various pads and flimsi on his desk. “I’ve been looking into some of the goings ons on the ship while I was gone and what I’ve found has been...disconcerting.” He frowned thoughtfully, “But while alarming, I must admit I'm not sure how successful I will be convincing anyone else to feel the same. I wonder, how did you find the change in command?” 

“S-sir?” The trooper seemed to stiffen to a painful degree. "I’m sure the Commander or Captain Boil would be better-”

“Of course,” Kenobi waved his hand, coming around to the front of his desk. The Trooper took a few personal space preserving steps back. 

“I will speak to the officers as well as the platoon sergeants. But I thought it might be helpful to get a more...grounded view of the command change, Trooper...?” 

”Evaar, sir.”

“Evaar,” Kenobi nodded and, thinking it would be easier to gauge the man’s reactions if he could see his face, tilted his head, “would you mind please removing your helmet?” 

* * *

_“Obi Wan to Commander Cody!”_

Cody paused in signing off on the requisitions order the quarter master had given him, his stomach tightening at the urgency in his General’s tone. 

“Cody here.” 

_“Report to my office immeidatly, and alert Medical!”_

The channel hadn’t even closed before Cody was shoving the datapad into the QM’s hands and taking off at a run for the doors. 

“Cody to Scratch. Meet me in the General’s office asap. Bring your kit!” 

_“The hells, Commander? What kind of trouble could he have gotten into on board the ship?”_ The medic sounded as baffled and alarmed as Cody felt. 

“I don’t kriffing know just be there!” 

_“Aye sir!”_

Cody burst into Kenobi’s office, using his Command override and barely pausing at the doors. He was greeted by the sight of a trooper huddled in a corner with his bucket pressed to his knees and Kenobi on the other side up of the room against the wall looking equal parts concern and confusion. 

“Sir, what happened?” Cody said, moving to toward the trooper, the markings on whose armor could only belong one person. 

“Cody don’t!” Kenobi exclaimed. “Don’t approach him, you’ll only make it worse.” 

Cody removed his bucket. Evaar was curled up around himself, rocking slightly, his vocoder barely picking up his voice. 

“ _Gedet'ye, gedet'ye, gedet'ye_.” 

Cody’s heart broke at the clearly audible tears in the kid’s voice, but what concerned him was the gasping, rapid breaths and the way he was twisting his left hand back and forth on his right forearm where he’d, probably unknowingly, removed his gauntlet and exposed his blacks. 

“How long as he been like this?” Cody asked, approaching the trembling vod carefully. 

“A few minutes.” Kenobi was utterly distraught. He had attempted to comfort the trooper, but his voice and physical presence had only succeeded in making things worse. Then, while he waited for Cody to arrive, Obi Wan had tried pushing warmth and calm into the Force, but the other man's mind was so entangled in panic he couldn't reach him. “I don’t know what happened. All I asked him to do was remove his helmet.” 

Cody pursed his lips. 

“Evaar,” he tried, but the kid made no indication he heard him. “Evaar, listen to me. You need to breath, _vod’ika_.” He reached out to lay a hand on the kid’s shoulder. Evaar flinched, but didn’t move away. “ _Udesii, gar morut'yc_. I’m just going to help you remove your bucket, okay? So you can breath a little easier.”

Cody reached for the helmet but the moment he touched it Evaar lashed out with a feral cry. Cody found himself on his back and grunted when Evaar threw himself on top of him and Cody was having to block sloppy swings at his face. 

“No!” Cody shouted immediately when he spotted Kenobi moving toward them. “Evaar, _vod_! Stand down!” 

The weight of _Commander_ in Cody's voice was enough to break through Evaar’s panic for a moment and he hesitated. Cody took the opportunity to flip them over so he was holding the kid in a safe, but constricting hold beneath him. 

Evaar lost it. 

It was everything Cody could do to keep his hold as Evaar bucked against him and screamed in panic. 

“ _Gev gev gev, gedet'ye alor, **gedet'ye GEV!**_ ” 

Cody’s stomach rolled, realizing he was probably doing more harm than good restraining the kid this way. 

At that moment, the doors opened again and Scratch rushed in. 

“What the hell is going on here?” Scratch bellowed, dropping to his knees beside the wrestling troopers, looking frantically between Cody and Evaar on the floor and Kenobi who stood near the wall looking horrified. 

“Sedate him, Scratch. _Now!”_

Scratch’s hands were already moving and it took mere seconds (might as well have been days from where Cody was sitting) for him to load up the hypo and jam it into the side of the Evaar's neck. 

Moments later Evaar went limp and Cody rolled off him, heaving for breath and blinking back tears. 

When the ceiling was no longer blurring at the edges Cody sat up looking first at Scratch, who glanced at him quickly, lips pursed, brows furrowed, before returning his focus to Evaar. He had removed his helmet, the kid's face a mess of tears and snot but blissfully slack with unconsciousness. 

Cody then looked at Kenobi. 

His general was leaning against the top of his desk facing away from them. Cody got up, crossing the room. 

“General...”

“Cody what-" He swallowed. “That was no battle flashback. I could _feel_ it.” Kenobi turned to him, the Jedi looked like he was about to be ill. “He-he wasn’t just terrified. There was...horror...shame... _revulsion_.” He shook his head, turning to look at Cody. His Commander looked stony and neutral, except for his eyes. Cody’s eyes were fractured with a riot of pain and confusion and anger. How had he not noticed before?

He realized his Commander must have been working hard to keep his shields up for him to be blocked out so completely.

“Cody _what happened_ here?” 

Before Cody could respond Scratch was speaking lowly behind them. 

“Scratch to medical, get a bed ready. I’ve got a patient coming in under sedation and I’m gonna need some bacta.” 

Cody and Obi Wan turned to see Scratch had rolled up the sleeve of Evaar’s blacks exposing a neat row of cuts from nearly his wrist to his elbow that had been broken open and were bleeding on the General’s office floor. 

“Cody,” Kenobi rasped, “we need to talk.”

* * *

After seeing Scratch and Evaar off to the Medical bay, where the medic had wheeled Evaar into a separate room and promptly shooed them both out, Cody and Kenobi made their way silently to the living decks. There was less than a cycle's journey between Orto Plutonia and Courascant, so they were headed back to the Core World between assignments. 

Cody wondered how much down time would be left after this 'talk' with his General. 

Obi wan let them into his quarters and went immediately to pull a small box from under his bunk. Cody stood by the door, watching and waiting. 

Obi Wan never looked at him. Just pulled the bottle of red liquid out of the box along with two glass tumblers and brought them to a couple of chairs huddled around a small table in the corner. Wordlessly, he half filled each glass before lifting one to his lips and knocking it all back in one go. 

Cody raised his eyebrows in surprise. 

Obi Wan refilled his glass immediately but seemed content to sip this one, still staring blankly at the wall. 

After an internal debate, Cody joined his general at the table and, thinking of everything he was probably about to say, he followed suit and swallowed all of his pour in a single gulp. 

He coughed and choked, his eyes watering at the strength of the biting liquid. Obi Wan refilled his glass without a word. 

Cody started to sip. 

"On Orto Plutonia I realized something had changed." Obi Wan said, his voice rough and quiet. "The men were jumpy. Like they didn't know what to expect from me. So when we got back, I decided to start looking into things." Obi Wan looked down into his drink, lifting it to take a few more swallows. Cody watched his General intently. "Nearly every man in the battalion has been written up, some more than once. Contraband. Fraternization. Insubordination." Kenobi spat the list of charges with distaste. "Punishing them for being human. For defending each other." Obi wan shook his head and turned to look at his Commander, taken aback by the look of surprise on his face. 

"You...you thought I knew?" Kenobi looked as if Cody had just smacked him in the face. He was _hurt_. 

Cody wasn't sure what to say. 

"I...I had no reason to believe you didn't." 

"Cody! You honestly think I would come back and just go along on our merry way acting as if nothing had happened if I knew how he treated you? He was supposed to protect you!" 

"No," Cody blinked and looked away from his General's blue fire eyes. "No sir. That was my job." Cody knocked back the rest of his drink, sucking air in through his teeth as it burned down the back of his throat into his belly. "Kriff that's strong." 

Kenobi's only response was to refill his glass again. 

"Tell me." 

"Tell you what?"

" _Tell me_ , Cody." Kenobi's voice hardened, "Tell me everything that's not in those reports. Tell me what you think I already know. Tell me what you don't want me to know. Tell me why one of my troopers just had a panic attack because I asked him to remove his helmet. Tell me what he karking _did_." The Jedi slammed his glass down onto the table, causing a few drops of the alcohol to slosh out onto his hand. 

Cody watched his General close his eyes and make a concerted effort to drain some of the anger away into the Force. He'd seen him do it enough times he recognized it and knew it was important to let the general have this moment to recenter. Cody wished it was as easy for him. 

He forced himself to sip his drink, the world had already started to become pleasantly bendy around the edges and he needed to be at least semi-sober for this. 

"I told Evaar I wouldn't tell anyone. But I didn't really plan on him losing it in your office, either." He said with a bitter sort of smile.

"What is it?" 

"The worst thing," Cody all but whispered, sipping his drink again. For his part, Kenobi seemed to be just holding his now.

"I didn't...realize, Nebulea had taken a special interest in Evaar. I thought it was just...he seemed to like to mentor some of the men. Seemed to want to help them live up to their potential." Cody shook his head. "Now I know, he just saw them as targets. As prey." Cody grit his teeth, swallowing the last of his drink despite doing his best to make it last. 

Kenobi pushed his half full glass to him. 

"I'm not sure how long it went on...but it kriffed up Evaar's head but good." 

"What did he do?" 

"He used him." Cody supplied bluntly. "I didn't ask for specifics. I know it was sex. I know Evaar wasn't willing. He abused him. Abused his power, Evaar's youth and vulnerability...made sure the kid thought he had no choice." Cody swallowed all of Kenobi's remaining whisky and leaned forward, bracing his elbows on the table and scrubbing his face. "I'm not sure what about what you said triggered him but...now you know."

"That _demagolka_." Kenobi hissed and Cody almost wanted to smile at the righteous indignation in the man's tone.

"I let them down. Evaar more than most, but all of them," Cody sighed, staring down at the table. "For all the General did...most things were just regulations, they were...he wasn't wrong. So I couldn't do anything. So I _didn't_ do anything. They needed..." _Me. Us. You._ "And I wasn't there for them. I couldn't...get out of my own head. My own grief. I didn't see what he was doing to them until it was almost too late." 

"You did what you had to." 

"Thats a karking poor excuse, Obi Wan." He shook his head. "For me and for you." 

Obi Wan frowned, "Cody..."

"I know. I know, General, trust me I know all about duty and following orders. That's what you were doing when you abandoned us, wasn't it? Following orders? Well I hope it was kriffing worth it." Cody knew, objectively, he was crossing the line. But with three and a half glasses of alien whiskey and two and half months of brooding behind him he couldn't quite bring himself to care.

"Cody that's not fair."

"No sir, you know what's not fair?" Cody looked up, amber eyes flashing, "Convincing my men, _promising_ them after Umbara, that of _course_ they could trust you. Didn't they remember? You're our _jetii'vod._ One of our own. That Krell was a one off, an anomaly. That they didn't have to worry. You, Obi Wan, you wold always have our backs." Tears gathered in Cody's eyes but he forbade them to fall. "And then I had to tell them you...you _died_. I had to watch them mourn, I had to say your _name_. And I had to stay strong and move on and support a man who was not one of us because it was _my_ _duty_. It was what you would have wanted." Cody swallowed, his gaze boring into Obi Wan's. "I lied to them. I swore you would never hurt us. And then you did. I have to live with the mistakes I made, I know I do. But I also have to live with yours."

Obi Wan swallowed convulsively several times, wishing he knew what to say to make things right. "I'm sorry," he managed to squeeze out of his impossibly tight throat. 

"I know. I forgive you." Cody said, blue eyes locking with golden brown. "I just don't know how to trust you anymore."

Cody had to turn away after a moment, looking back down at his glass, unable to stand the heartbroken look in his General's eyes. 

"When we first met, you gave me your trust blindly." Obi Wan licked his lips, waiting until Cody looked at him again. "This time, I'll earn it." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love, thanks for the kind reception to this fic!
> 
> Gedet'ye - please  
> gev - stop  
> alor - leader, chief, *officer*, constable, boss  
> Udesii, gar morut'yc - calm down, you're safe  
> demagolka - someone who commits atrocities, a real-life monster, a war criminal - from the notorious Mandalorian scientist of the Old Republic, Demagol, known for his experiments on children, and a figure of hate and dread in the Mando psyche  
> jetii'vod - Jedi Brother, definitely made up and probably something unique to Clone culture, since Mandalorian's aren't historically fond of Jedi, but the Clones obviously love them.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nebulea tries to kriff stuff up, but Kenobi isn't having it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kenobi is so done with Nebulea.
> 
> Warning: mentions of self harm below

"So you're coming with the boys to 79s tonight, right?" 

Cody didn't bother to repress his eye roll under the safety of his bucket. 

"Starting that already, Boil?"

"Yep." Both officers returned the salute from a group of troopers that stopped for them as they made their way to the training grounds so Cody could set up the obstacles he wanted before the mandatory training later. There wasn't much to keep the men occupied on Courascant, and while they were allowed to do what they wished with their downtime, Cody had learned the hard way it was best if he kept up a training regimen with them when they were planet side. Better to keep the boys occupied, when left to their own devices they tended to get into mischief and, more often than not, cause inadvertent destruction.

"Not sure when we'll be shipped out. If I don't start pestering you now you'll spend every night holed up in your office rewriting regs and doing paperwork." 

"That happens to be my job." Cody said, dry as dust.

"I know Commander." Boil said patiently, hands tucked behind his back. "So are you coming tonight or should I meet you here same time tomorrow with the same question?" 

Before Cody could respond with some sort of vague not quite empty threat, they heard the sound of standard issue boots approaching at a dead sprint. 

"Inks?" Cody said, recognizing the marks on the armor immediately. 

"Commander! Cody, please, help. They took him, I couldn't stop them!" Inks started talking before he stopped running, gasping for breath and half hysterical.

Cody reached out to put a hand on the trooper's shoulder. "Inks, slow down, start from the beginning and tell me what the hell is going on. Who are you talking about?"

"Agro," Inks said, ripping his bucket off, sweat dripping down his face, plastering his hair messily to his forehead and ear. He grabbed Cody's elbow desperately. "They're gonna take him back for reconditioning. Commander you can't let them!" 

It was Cody's turn to pull off his helmet, eyes wide. " _What?_ What happened?" 

"He hit General Nebulea." 

Cody and Boil both looked up at Crys who had just arrived to their group, also having run all the way there. 

"The General came himself to deliver the orders and Agro lost it. Knocked Nebulea flat on his _shebs._ The guards hauled him away just a few minutes ago." 

A sob broke loose in Ink's chest and Cody grabbed his arms. 

"Inks, look at me." Cody waited until he did, eyes miserable and afraid, clearly holding on by a thread. "I'm not going to let this happen, okay? I'm not going to let them take him from you." 

Cody had no idea how he was going to keep that promise, if Agro had been taken by the Guard, he was in a GAR prison by now and he wasn't sure his rank was enough to get past the fact that he was just a clone. But he had to find a way. He would _not_ fail them. Not again.

Inks nodded shakily, trying to get himself under control and Cody tightened his hold on his arms, turning back to Crys. 

"You said the General delivered orders?" 

Crys nodded but hesitated before continuing. "Evaar is being transferred to the 457th. Nebulea's new battalion." 

Cody's stomach turned to ice. 

No wonder Agro had flipped. 

"Where's Evaar now?" Cody said, using every shred of his self control to keep his tone even and his feet rooted to his spot, when all he wanted was to pull his blasters out and go break Agro out with force.

"I had a couple of the boys get him out of there in the confusion. He's safe and he's not alone." Crys assured him.

"Good work." Cody was grateful again for his men's ability to think on their feet. "Go be with him and wait for my word. Keep him out of sight as long as possible." 

"Yes sir," Crys said, "But the 457th deploys at the end of the cycle. If Evaar isn't onboard he'll be listed as a deserter." 

Cody bit his lip. "Hopefully it doesn't come to that." He turned to Boil. "Take Inks to the barracks and stay with him."   
  
Boil nodded, putting an arm around his shoulders. "C'mon _vod_. It'll be alright, you'll see." 

Inks had gone unsettlingly still and quiet, allowing himself to be led away by the Captain with eyes that seemed 1000 parsecs away. 

"You'll need backup if you're going to try and turnover reconditioning orders." Crys pointed out as Cody turned and they both started back the way they came. 

Cody nodded. "I know."

There was really only one person he could go to. His stomach churned with anxiety as he made his way toward the temple.

* * *

Obi Wan sat in Council Chambers in his usual seat between Kit Fisto and Mace Windu. Around the room all the other Council members had gathered, some were present but many were represented only by their holo projections. 

“Yes, an interesting development, this is. Meditate on it more, we shall.” Yoda said sagely, blinking slowly at the other council members. 

“I concur, Master Yoda, however...” Shaak Ti was interrupted by a decisive, respectful knock at the council door. 

Mace Windu glanced around the room quickly, but none of the other members of the council seemed to sense any danger or reason for him not to order the doors be opened. 

A Temple Guard bowed low at the entrance. “My apologies for the interruption, Masters. Master Kenobi, there is someone here to see you.” 

Obi Wan sat up in his chair. “Guard, we are in the middle of a meeting, surly this can wait -.” Just then, a second figure moved in the foyer outside the large Council chambers and Obi Wan caught sight of a flash of white and gold. 

“Excuse me Masters.” Obi Wan stood and crossed the room, tucking his hands inside his sleeves as he passed the Jedi Guard who closed the doors to the chamber behind him. 

“Cody? What is it?” Obi Wan was more than a little surprised to see the man there. Cody always hated being inside the Temple, the whole place made him uncomfortable. And he’d never interrupted Obi Wan during a meeting, choosing to handle any problems himself until Obi Wan was available, a fact for which the Jedi was grateful. 

Something must be very wrong indeed for Cody to be breaking that pattern now.

“General, I apologize for the intrusion.” Cody cleared his throat, the only sign of his discomfort being the way his eyes couldn’t quite stay still on his General’s. Now that he was closer Obi Wan could tell that Cody’s shields were not being maintained as they had been, and he was broadcasting faint but acute worry and anger. 

“Its fine Commander, I know you wouldn’t have if it wasn’t important.” 

“Yes sir,” Cody nodded quickly. ”It is, Sir, I...I need your help.” It was not easy for Cody to say those words, especially to him. Cody expected more questions, the General would have been within his rights to demand details after Cody had so presumptuously interrupted Jedi business. But time was of the essence, every minute they wasted was another minute closer to Agro being lost forever.

Obi Wan did have questions, of course he did. Never mind his curious nature, but the way his Commander, always steady as a rock, was shifting back and forth and _fidgeting_ for force's sake, anxious and unsettled in a way Obi Wan had never seen even under the heaviest blaster fire, was concerning to say the least.

Obi Wan had lots of questions.

But he'd asked the Commander for the opportunity to earn his trust back.

No time like the present.

Obi Wan nodded once. “What can I do to help?” 

* * *

Boil dropped onto the bunk beside Inks with a sigh. Inks didn't look up from where he was staring blankly at the floor, he didn't even seem aware of the man's presence. Boil pulled a flask from his belt, tipping it up at his lips to take a long swig before bumping it lightly against Inks' arm. 

"Drink, _vod_." Boil said gruffly. 

Inks looked at him dumbly then down at the proffered flask. 

"Thanks." Inks rasped, bringing the container to his lips. Around them there were lots of _vode_ milling about, but the atmosphere in the barracks was subdued as they waited for an update from their Commander about Agro, giving Inks and Boil as much privacy as they could in the communal area. 

"How," Inks coughed, his voice rough, though whether it was from emotion or the rotgut Boil had given him, wasn't clear. He shook his head. "I feel like I've taken a heavy gun blast to the chest. How do you...how have you been able to go on like this?" 

Boil gave a sardonic smile. "You're holding it." 

Inks looked down at the flask and chuffed a quiet, watery laugh. "Yeah." He took another swig and then passed the container back to Boil.

"I meant what I said, _vod_ ," Boil squeezed his _vod'ika's_ shoulder. "It will be alright. The Commander promised he wouldn't let them take him from you. And he won't. You have to trust that." 

Inks pursed his lips when he turned to his brother but it didn't stop his chin from trembling. "Agro was arrested by the GAR, Boil. I don't...I don't think there's anything he can do." 

He looked down at his hands and rubbed his thumb roughly across the word tattooed across his palm, glad for the measure of privacy his long hair on the left side of his head afforded him as it fell forward, curtaining his face from the others. 

_Darasuum_. 

He blinked every so often when the word became too blurry, bringing it back into focus and ignoring the tears that streamed down his cheeks and dropped silently to the floor. 

Boil squeezed his shoulder again. 

"Then he'll get the General. Kenobi will take care of it. You'll see." 

Inks took a shuddering breath. "You really think so?" His voice came out strained from the effort of keeping himself under control. 

"Yeah, _vod_. I do. I trust him." 

"You're not angry at him for pretending to be dead?" Inks sniffed and turned to look at his brother, a little bit surprised.

Boil chuckled, tipping his head back to finish off the flask. He put the cap back on and tucked it back into his belt. 

"There isn't a night that goes by that I don't dream one of our _vod_ has come back to us." He'd lost count of the times had he woken to find his cheeks wet, chest burning as Waxer's heat at his back faded away.

Boil shook his head. "How can I be angry with Kenobi for being my dream come true for once?" He shrugged. "Yeah, he kriffed up but...who hasn't? I don't think he'll let us down this time." 

Inks bit his lip and closed his eyes, letting his brother's steady belief and unshakeable trust wash over him. Force, he hoped Boil was right. 

Commotion on the other side of the barracks made them both look up and they saw Evaar burst into the room, Crys and Hindsight hot on his heels. 

The brothers milling about all started to crowd around him, peppering him with questions, but Evaar's kept frantically searching for a different pair of eyes. 

"Inks? Inks!" 

Inks leapt off the bunk and began pushing through the group. 

"Evaar! I'm here." He called out, causing Evaar to whirl around toward him. " _Vod'ika_ , you shouldn't be here. They'll be looking for you." 

He reached out, grabbing the sides of Evaar's chest plate, keeping him close despite his words. 

"Inks...I'm so sorry." Evaar's voice broke. "It's all my fault...Agro...I should've..." 

"Shh, it's not your fault." Inks smiled as best he could, smoothing a hand down the back of his brother's head to rest on his neck. "I don't want you blaming yourself for this, okay _vod'ika_? Not for this. Not for any of it." 

Evaar closed his eyes causing a couple stray tears to escape from his lashes and Inks pulled him close, pressing their foreheads together. 

"I'm sorry, Inks. I'm so sorry...you're _riduur_..."

"Shh," he soothed again, breathing through the ribbons of pain that tightened around his chest. To distract himself, he listened with half an ear as Boil quietly dispersed the brothers around them. He kept up a steady pressure against Evaar's neck, keeping him close enough he didn't have to raise his voice above a whisper. "I don't blame you. So you don't blame yourself, you hear me?" 

Evaar might have nodded, or he might have been shaking, Inks wasn't sure. Inks moved his other hand to smooth down Evaar's arm, only pausing when he realized there was warm wetness on his fingers. 

Inks pulled back to look at his hand and pursed his lips at the sight of blood, noticing now that Evaar was wearing all his armor except his gloves and gauntlets. 

_"Vod'ika."_ Inks sighed. 

Evaar's eyes flicked up to his and then down to the floor. 

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't want to I just...my head was so loud and I couldn't breathe and I was so worried and...I just..." He shrugged one shoulder, bringing tortured gold eyes up to meet Inks'. "It helps, Inks. I don't know how else to..." 

Inks nodded sadly, moving his clean hand from the back of Evaar's neck to cup his cheek, soothing the pad of his thumb across his cheekbone. "I know. But it's not good for you, _vod'ika_. It's not safe." 

"I know." Evaar whispered brokenly. "I'm sorry...I know Agro didn't like it." 

"No. He doesn't." Inks shook his head, letting the use of the present tense ring out between them. 

Evaar dropped his eyes back to the floor. 

"Sorry." 

Inks pursed his lips, pulling him to his chest again and Evaar shifted, dropping his head to his shoulder. Inks wrapped his arms around him, his stomach churning with nerves. 

He was worried for Agro, practically sick with worry. 

But Evaar. 

Even if Agro somehow, miraculously, came back to them...what could they do for Evaar? How could they help him? 

Inks didn't know how to do more than what they were doing and it clearly wasn't working. He was terrified one day he was going to go into the refresher and have to pull his vod'ika's cold body out of a locked stall because no one had noticed in time that he was missing. 

Inks had survived 138 battles and ground assaults.

But he was pretty sure _that_ would kill him.

He looked over Evaar's shoulder at Crys and Boil, watching them from a discreet distance. 

Maybe Boil was right. Maybe General Kenobi could...maybe there was some way General Kenobi could help Evaar where his brothers so far had failed to.

Inks took a deep breath, pulling back slightly to look Evaar in the face. 

"C'mon vod'ika," he smoothed Evaar's hair back from his forehead, smiling in hopes of covering his tension and worry, "lets go get you cleaned up."

* * *

  
Nebulea’s apartment was in one of the Officer's Barracks on the GAR campus. It was not far from the Clone Campus, where Clone officers had their own barracks (which, while it was the preference of most clone officers to be near their brothers, the separation was still a slight to them and no one ever tried to say it wasn’t). The grounds of the GAR campus were comfortable, if not utilitarian, but lacked the feeling of camaraderie and din of rowdiness that always permeated the men’s barracks. 

Cody hated it. 

Would have hated it, even if he weren’t standing outside this particular door. 

“Let me handle this,” Obi Wan said in an undertone as they waited for his knock to be answered. 

Cody looked at him out the side of his visor, but didn't have time to respond before the door opened. 

“General Kenobi, what a pleasant surprise!” Nebulea smiled before catching sight of Cody and the expression dimmed. “Commander Cody.“

“Good afternoon General,” Obi Wan smiled warmly, “may we come in?” 

Nebulea hesitated only a moment before standing aside and gesturing them both in. 

“Of course, General. To what do I owe the pleasure?” 

“Oh, I just...wanted to say thank you again for watching over my men in my absence.” Kenobi said, smile never faltering.

Cody stiffened from where he’d stayed standing by the door, watching Obi Wan and Nebulea walk further into the small apartment, hands tucked behind both their backs. Looking for all the world like old friends.

“It was no trouble at all, I assure you General Kenobi.” 

“Very good." Obi Wan folded his arms and stroked his beard. "I must confess, I also wanted to apologize for the incident today.” 

Nebulea sighed, rocking back on his heals and shaking his head in dismay. “Yes, that was unpleasant. Too bad about that one. But not to worry, I have been assured that the defective clone will be returned to Kamino for reconditioning. He shouldn’t present any future issues.”

“Defective?” Cody snapped, “He isn’t defective you-”

“Commander!” Obi Wan hissed, causing Cody's jaw to snap shut with a click but he didn’t tear his glare off of the other man’s cold purple eyes. 

“My dear Commander Cody, I see insubordination is still one of your failings.” 

"Oh I'll show you insubordinate." Cody growled. _"Gar entye kyr'am."_

Nebulea sighed, sounding put out. "Oh Cody, you are in a sad state," He said with that faux sincerity Cody had become so accustomed to. As if Cody was a small child that had lost his way, "Almost as sad as you clone's continued usage of the Mandalorian tongue. I wonder what a _real_ Mandalorian would say about that."

Cody started to move forward, as if to make good on this threat.

“Stand _down_ , Commander." Obi Wan ordered, holding up his hand. "Please excuse him, General,” Obi Wan soothed, throwing Cody another quick glance, noting the way the clone seemed to be practically vibrating with the effort of keeping still and quiet. “He was rather shocked by Agro’s behavior.” 

_Trust me, Cody. Please._ Obi Wan pushed to him, hopeful when he relaxed, if only marginally. 

“Hm, well, I wish I could say the same,” Nebulea turned back to Kenobi, “unfortunately this is not the first time the rather appropriately named ‘Agro’ has been in this kind of trouble. He seems to have real issues with his temper and is a liability to the GAR, as I’m sure you can see for yourself, General.” 

Kenobi hmm’d slightly, turning toward the Admiral’s large windows in the living space, tucking his hands into the sleeves of his robe, attempting to hid the ever growing contempt he felt for the man. The slight against the men's use of Mando'a was unexpected, though Obi Wan realized he should have seen it coming.

_He's **still** trying to take what little they have away from them. _

“What do you think it was that set Agro off?” Obi Wan asked curiously, as if inquiring about the strange alien plants Nebulea had potted around his room.

The General paced away a bit to retrieve a glass of water on his dining table and took a nonchalant sip before responding. “I can’t be certain, General. Though I suppose...well, I may have been at fault to some extent. Jealousy was to be expected.” 

“Jealousy!?” Cody exclaimed before he could think better of it. Kenobi sent him a sharp look and then turned an intrigued but friendly smile to the near-human. 

“Why would he be jealous?” 

“I decided to offer one of the men a promotion,” Nebulea said with a shrug. “I was impressed by his tenacity and spirit and...stamina.” The man smiled to himself, Cody thought he might vomit inside his helmet. “I decided to offer him an Officer’s commission. I suppose Agro felt it unfair that a younger clone was being offered a promotion that he felt he deserved.” 

“I see.” Obi Wan turned away from Nebulea, and this time Cody could see that it was to cover anger that was practically boiling over in the man’s blue eyes and he felt a surge of triumph. There was a rigidity in his General's shoulders and sharpness in his eyes that Cody had learned early on meant _danger_. He bit back a feral smile. “Which trooper was it that you wanted to promote, Westark?” 

“CT-8916. I believe he goes by Evaar. A fine boy.”

“Man, Westark. He is a man." Kenobi locked eyes with Cody, lifting his chin, his friendly veneer falling away like so many cloaks abandoned on the battlefield. "While I am most gratified that you want to nurture those qualities in Evaar, General, I’m afraid there has been a change in plans.” He turned back to watch the friendly facade fall away from Nebulea’s face, replaced by narrow eyed suspicion. “As I’m sure you are aware, I reserve the right as High General of the Third System’s Army to veto or change any transfers and assignments as I see fit. I will not be able to allow this transfer to go through.”

“Why is that, if I may ask?”

“I am neither required nor inclined to explain myself to you, General.” 

Nebulea pursed his lips into a thin line before they spread into a sinister smile. “Why, Master Jedi, do I sense a bit of _attachment_ to your clone army?”

Kenobi’s smile was all teeth. “Is that how you want to play it Nebulea? Very well. Lets play.” 

Cody watched Kenobi's body language change, a slight straightening of the spine, a lift of the chin. He knew that look.

The battle was already won.

“Why don’t you go ahead and report to the council that I have formed a forbidden attachment to my men. Men who are bred, born, fight and die in a war they have no stake in, for a people who don’t know them, who conduct themselves with more honor and nobility than most _Generals_ I know.” Obi Wan raised an eyebrow meaningfully, the Force nearly crackling with anger around him. “And I shall go to the GAR Oversight Office and make a report of my own.”

“You’re bluffing, General.”

“Oh, am I? Then if I have oversight look into your past history they surely won’t find any other men with _complaints_ against your leadership or violations of fraternization regulations reported.”

Nebulea scoffed. “As if anyone would believe a _clone_.” 

“Perhaps you’re right.” Kenobi stroked his chin in mock thoughtfulness, sending another wave of calm and _‘please trust’_ to Cody when he heard a low, angry growl coming from the other side of the room.

“But, you didn’t join the GAR when the Clone Wars began, did you, Westark? You were a part of the small preexisting force that was stationed here on Courascant back then, weren’t you? And some of the men that served under you are still in the GAR. In fact, I am willing to wager if I were to make that report to the Oversight Office, it just might fall into the hands of one or two of the men who used to serve under you. Men who know you, know your... _tendencies,_ who would be more than willing to testify as to your leadership style, or lack thereof. Men who are _not_ clones. What do you think, General?” 

Nebulea curled his lips in disgust, but remained silent.

“I see, no objections to that then. In that case, I wonder if you will object to this. I have decided to turn over leadership of the 457th to a different General. You, Westark Nebulea, are now a Lieutenant General, and would best serve the Republic in an administrative capacity here on Courascant, effective immediately and indefinitely.” 

“You have no right!” Nebulea hissed, taking a threatening step forward. Cody moved but Obi Wan was faster, igniting his light saber but keeping it pointed toward the floor. Nebulea froze and glowered at the Jedi. 

“I have _every_ right, General. I entrusted you with my battalion and you proved yourself to be _woefully_ inadequate and even _willfully_ malevolent. I swore to protect my men and I will keep that promise. No one, not Count Dooku, not Separatist droids, not the Jedi council and _certainly_ not a _mirosik_ like you, are going to ever prevent me from keeping that promise. Ever. Again." Obi Wan lifted his saber to within inches of Nebulea’s neck, causing the man to have to strain upwards away from it. 

“And please believe me when I say that that promise goes for _all_ the men. If I you ever hurt one of them, clone or not, the way you hurt Evaar? I _will_ know. And I. Will. Find you. Do I make myself clear?” 

Nebulea’s eyes narrowed. “Yes.” 

“What was that?” Kenobi twitched his saber slightly so that Nebulea had to jerk back. 

“Yes, _sir_ General Kenobi.” 

_“Gar serim, shabuir.”_ Kenobi quirked a smile. "Now, I believe you have a call to make to the holding cells."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chap! Please review if you like!
> 
> Mando'a: 
> 
> shebs - butt  
> Gar entye kyr'am - you deserve to die  
> mirosik - dung for brains, shithead  
> Gar serim - That's it.  
> shabuir - extreme insult - *jerk*, but much stronger


	10. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunions are held and tea is had. And Kenobi makes the Jedi step up to the plate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Therapy and hugs for all my sons!!

"I'm just saying, you should have let me hit him." Cody smiled at his General as they made their way to the 212th barracks, feeling _light_ and _actually okay_ for the first time in recent memory. 

Obi Wan chuckled, ducking his head, slightly embarrassed. It wasn't appropriate, the way he'd handled things with Nebulea. It wasn't the Jedi way. 

But it'd felt damn good. 

Maybe that bore further meditation, but he simply couldn't find it in himself to regret it. 

"Yes, well, Cody I think that might have rather undermined what I was trying to do." 

"What you were trying to do was scare the shit out of him. And I think you succeeded at that." Cody shook his head and shifted his bucket under his other arm. "Did you really demote him?" 

Kenobi's face hardened slightly. "Yes. I did. I would have kicked him clean out of the GAR if I thought I would be allowed to do so. That man should not be in command over _anyone_." 

Cody grunted his agreement returned the salute of a shiny as they made their way into the barracks. 

"Do you actually know any men he had abused in the Oversight Office?" Cody peaked out of the corner of his eye, keeping his voice low lest they be overheard. The barracks seemed strangely quiet. 

Kenobi's face remained impassive and Cody couldn't help his smile. 

"You _were_ bluffing."

"I haven't had time to look into things as deeply as I would have liked. But I will." 

"Well then how did you know?" Cody paused, turning to face his General in the corridor. Obi Wan stopped and faced him, tucking his hands into his robes. 

"A man like Westark Nebulea...he doesn't do something like that unless he knows he will get away with it. And he would only feel that way if he'd gotten away with it before. Even going so far as to try and transfer Evaar out from under me? He didn't think any of you would talk. Really, it was I who called _his_ bluff." 

Cody shifted, feeling a wash of guilt again. "I almost didn't. Tell you, I mean. If Evaar hadn't had that attack in your office...I'm not sure I would have." 

Obi Wan reached out to lay a hand on his Commander's shoulder. 

"Cody, no one could blame you for protecting your men in the best way you knew how, and I'm certainly not going to. I'm just glad you trusted me to help you when you really needed it. Thank you." 

Cody looked up and met his General's eyes, seeing the warmth there, the sincerity. Having seen the way his Jedi had protected the men so fiercely, when it was their lives on the line in a completely different way than they were on the battle field. Not even questioning it when Cody asked...he'd never felt so endeared to him. 

"No sir, thank you." 

* * *

Evaar sat on a bench near the wall in the refresher while Inks rummaged around in the small med kit kept underneath. Though it was understood most injuries were to be tended to in the med bay, it was also understood that not every injury required it. The barrack's kits had been confiscated aboard the Negotiator, Scratch and the others were already working on returning them now that Kenobi was back, the one in the 212th barracks on Courascant had never been removed. 

Evaar was incredibly grateful, as it kept him out of sight while Inks tended to his arm. 

His face was flush with heat, his mind buzzing loud enough that he had to clench his hands into fists to keep from twitching. 

_”I have good news, my boy.” Nebulea's smile was serene and sharp, leaving Evaar feeling cold and alone despite the brothers that surrounded him, “you're being promoted.”_

Evaar gasped when Inks' touched his arm, smoothing bacta over his wounds. 

"Easy, easy vod'ika." Inks glanced at him, voice low and soothing.

Evaar bit his lip and nodded.

Inks looked up at him again. "It's going to be alright." 

"How can you be so sure?" Evaar pushed his bangs off his forehead. "If he takes me away...I won't...I won't let him do it again. I'll die first." 

Inks stopped and looked up. Evaar's eyes shone too brightly in the refresher lights, a steady resolve and determination in them that sent a chill down Inks' spine. 

"Evaar..."

The younger trooper pulled his hand back which Inks was too distracted too protest, even as he held the bandage in his hands, ready to wrap it. 

"I'm sorry, Inks. I...can't do it again. I won't." He turned to face the floor, surprised when Inks suddenly dropped to his knees in front of him, the clap of plastoid against tile echoing in the empty room.

"Vod'ika you listen to me. That is not the solution. That is _never_ the solution.” He reached up, placing his hands on both of Evaar’s shoulders. “Listen. If, for whatever reason, the General and Commander aren’t able to block this...this _plan_ of that _ge'hutuun_ , I won’t give him the chance to come for you, you understand? We’ll leave. Tonight if we have to. But I won’t lose you. And I won't let him hurt you again.” Inks kept his voice low, conscious of how dangerous it was to say that kind of thing out loud, but he meant it. 

Inks watched Evaar’s eyes search his face for honestly, wanting desperately to believe him. He managed a small smile, squeezing his shoulders once more. Evaar started to open his mouth, as if to try and find the right words to respond, when something over Inks' shoulder caught his attention. 

Inks turned to follow his gaze and his breath left him. 

“Agro.”

All at once Inks was on his feet and across the room, slamming into the other man's chest. Instantly they were wrapped up in one another, tears of relief and joy flowing freely while, whispering _’i love you, ner’karta, you're alive’_ around desperate kisses. 

Obi Wan and Cody stood back a few feet, the Commander more than a little amused by the shocked look on his General’s face when he picked ‘ _riduur_ ’ out of the rambling mando’a and basic emanating from the couple. 

“They’re married?” he said quietly, glancing at Cody, “I knew they were close but I never realized...” 

Cody shrugged. “We don’t tend to advertise that kind of thing, sir. Some Generals have been known to separate partners, they say it’s distracting. As if you would be less distracted to know your _riduur_ was off fighting in a battle and you weren’t at his back to protect him.” Generals like Nebulea. And Cody had certainly been preparing himself for that fight before Kenobi returned. 

“Separate them?” Kenobi looked horrified. “I would never, _will never,_ allow that.” He set his teeth and folded his arms across his chest. “Are there others?” 

“Sure. Fitz and Tantrum, Shorty and Ruus. A few others. Pel and Oya said their _riduurok_ while you were gone.” He saw understanding cross Obi Wan’s face, no doubt putting together why those two had been written up so often in his absence. Cody hesitated before continuing. “Waxer and Boil. They were, anyway.” 

Obi Wan looked stricken and bowed his head briefly. “I”m sorry to hear that. I’ll make a note to talk to him soon. And Commander, I expect you to notify me if orders ever come up for any of them to be reassigned. I want to know so I can take care of it.” 

Cody nodded, feeling warmth surge in his chest for his _(he never stopped being his, Cody was coming to realize)_ General. “Yes sir.” 

“Sir?” 

Obi Wan saw a third trooper he hadn’t noticed before walking toward them. 

“Evaar,” He said, forcing himself to approach the young man slowly, “How are you?” His eyes flicked down to the Evaar’s arm where the shallowest cuts were just angry pink welts, while the deepest of them were still weeping slightly, even with the bacta treatment. 

Evaar’s face flushed and he tucked his arm behind his back. “Fine, sir.” 

“Don’t,” Obi Wan said then, lowering his voice to the soothing tone he used when he was in the med bay after a particularly heinous battle. “May I?” 

Evaar’s gaze flicked quickly over to Cody and he slowly pulled his arm from behind his back and proffered it to the General. His hand was warm and soft, aside from the callouses he had where gripped his saber and he held Evaar’s arm and his gaze. 

“I’m glad to have found you. I wanted to tell you the transfer has been cancelled, you’re not going to the 457th. And Nebulea has been demoted and removed from command.” Obi Wan looked pained, but carefully not pitying as he continued. “I’m so sorry, Evaar. I’m sorry for how you’ve suffered. You did not deserve it.” 

Obi Wan released Evaar’s hand and he glanced down. 

Then froze. 

Not since he left Kamino had the skin on his arm been that smooth, _unmarred_.

He looked back up to his General, unable to form words. 

“I apologize,” Kenobi cleared his throat, “if I have overstepped. I thought...” He cut himself off with a grunt as Evaar suddenly wrapped him in a bone crushing hug. But before he could even react enough to do anything but stiffen in surprise Evaar had stepped back again. 

“Thank you, sir.” He whispered, grasping his newly healed forearm to hide how his hands shook.

“You are most welcome.” Obi Wan smiled and then, seemingly remembering there were others present, glanced quickly around. “I’m sure your brothers will be eager to speak to all of you, but there are a few things I wish to discuss. Would you four be able to meet me at my quarters in the temple in a couple of hours?”

Cody nodded. “Of course sir. But...the men would like to spend time with you too. You’re welcome to stay.” Kenobi never required an invitation to be in the barracks, of course, but he always preferred one, he tried to give his men as much autonomy and privacy as he could. 

“Thank you Cody, but I have a few holocalls to make and,” his smile turned teasing, “A council meeting to finish.” 

Cody smirked, glancing quickly at Agro and Inks, who were pressed close enough to one another they almost looked like they wanted to be sharing armor. He couldn’t even find it in himself to be embarrassed. 

“Yes sir.” 

* * *

Cody frowned and chimed the door once more before stepping back to look around, momentarily concerned he’d come to the wrong place. 

They were definitely at the right apartment, which made it all the stranger that Obi Wan wasn’t answering the door. 

Behind him, Evaar was quiet and tense, staring down the end of the hallway like he was on Alpha watch on a hostile planet. 

“Relax, _vod'ika_. We’re not going to get in trouble, General Kenobi invited us.” Agro said from his spot leaned against the wall opposite Kenobi’s door. Inks was silent, pressed up against his chest, content to let Agro keep him close with both arms wrapped around him. The two hadn’t been out of physical contact since Agro had been returned to them. 

“Then why isn’t he answering his door?” Evaar asked, mostly just to be contrary, Cody thought. His _vod’ika_ didn’t seem exactly nervous, more just restless, the way his fingertips twitched almost continuously, tapping out an unrecognizable rhythm against his thigh plates. 

“My apologies, men.” 

They turned to see Kenobi striding toward them from the other direction down the hall. Cody noted, absently, that he’d discarded the robe he’d been wearing earlier and he wondered if it would be returned to the Jedi at some point. 

“My meeting with the council ran longer than anticipated. Please, come in.” He slipped between them to open the door and all four clones filed into the small apartment behind him.

“Tea? Anyone?” 

Cody glanced around the room, taking it upon himself to answer for them all. “We don’t want to be any trouble, sir.” 

“Oh, it’s no trouble.” Obi Wan waved his hand, turning to bustle around his small kitchenette. Adding with a grin, “I’m making some for myself anyway.” 

“In that case sir,” Cody tilted his head. 

“Excellent.” 

Cody watched, somewhat bemused, as Kenobi busied himself boiling water and collecting five cups for tea. It was odd, he thought, if the General weren’t trying so hard to act like it was totally normal to have four clones sprawled out in his tiny Jedi apartment, Cody might actually be convinced it was. 

Although, he noticed with a bit of amused satisfaction, he did seem to be the only one to see it. 

Evaar was looking at Kenobi like he couldn't decide if he hung all the stars in the galaxy or was all the darkness between them. And Inks and Agro might as well have been left behind in the barracks for all that they were aware of other people in the room. 

Cody got up to help Obi Wan bring the mugs and hot water to the small table in front of the couch where Agro and Inks had taken up residence. Evaar had folded himself into the space on the floor between his _vod_ and Cody left the only other lounging chair for Kenobi, preferring to drag a simple wooden chair over from Obi Wan’s desk for himself. 

“There we are.” Obi Wan said, sounding pleased. He went to sit and then, snapping his fingers as if remembering something, quickly dashed back into the kitchen, returning with a small white cup and a spoon. “And here is the sugar.” 

All of a sudden, all the clones were much more interested in Kenobi’s ‘hot leaf water’ as it was affectionately dubbed in the 212th. 

“I didn’t know you could drink it with sugar!” Evaar grinned, folding his hands around his mug. 

“I don’t usually, but I started keeping it around for Anakin when he was younger, it was the only way he would drink it.” Obi Wan said with a grin, “And experience has taught me you men never enjoy anything quite the way you enjoy it with sugar on it.” 

Agro nodded. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of it. Long Necks should be put on trial for cruelty to sentients for banning it from the food packs they feed us on Kamino.” 

Obi Wan chuckled lightly around a sip of his tea. “I know the feeling. The first time I had a piece of chocolate it was on a planet called Mantera Four with my Master. I thought I’d died and become one with the Force.”

"Chocolate?" Evaar's eyes grew wide. "I've heard of it. Hardcase used to say he had a whole brick of it once when the 501st battalion was in a hyperspace pause near Alderaan." 

Inks snorted. "Hardcase was a damn liar." Agro's arm tightened around his shoulder when the smile fell off his face too quickly. Cody turned to stare into his tea, stirring it idly. 

"Well," Obi Wan broke the moment, leaning forward to set his tea aside. "I did want to talk to you all about something." All the men straightened, keen golden eyes focused on their General. "I spoke to the Council. I would like for you," his eyes went to Evaar, then Agro, "to spend some time here, at the Temple for a while when the 212th is deployed on its next assignment. I've made arrangements for you both to meet with Mind Healers who would be able to help you deal with some of the traumas you've been through." 

Despite having shored up his shields before speaking, Obi Wan felt the insistent press of their wave of anxiety and confusion on his mind. 

"But General we're not sick." 

"I don't understand."

"Sir, wait, why-" 

Obi Wan held up his hands in a calming gesture, looking over at his Commander, who was watching him carefully with a narrow eyed gaze. 

"Please, allow me to explain. None of you are in trouble. Officially you would be listed as on Medical leave, but you would be staying here at the temple, so even if the GAR disagreed with my decision they would be powerless to come after you." He steepled his fingers thoughtfully, fully aware that the men were barely holding back their comments, but grateful for their self restraint. "I have done a lot of thinking about what the battalion went through in my absence. You three specifically. I would not be doing my duty as your commanding officer if I ignored the enduring effects that you would suffer were I to do nothing." 

"Agro," He looked at the man across from him, with Inks pulled possessively into his side, his hand clinched in a fist on his thigh. "It is clear that you do have an anger problem, through no fault of your own," he continued quickly, "and the solution is certainly _not_ to erase your brain and effectively commit murder. I would rather we get to the bottom of that issue and help you learn different ways of dealing with the emotions." 

He turned to Evaar, feeling guilty for the way the young trooper had pulled his knees to his chest, making himself as small as possible. 

"Please don't be afraid, Evaar. The things you've been through...most of us don't dare to imagine that kind of pain. I simply cannot abide by you continuing to try and deal with it alone."

"I'm not alone." He all but whispered, "I have my brothers." 

"Yes you do," Obi Wan nodded, glancing at the other three. "And they have done a fine job, the best they could with what they had. But...it's not quite enough, is it Evaar? I've healed your scars," he gestured vaguely toward Evaar's arms as he tightened his grip on himself, "but how long do you think it will be before you do it again, if you don't get some help?"

Evaar dropped his eyes to his knees. "I'll be okay."

Obi'Wan sat back in his chair, looking thoughtful. 

"I won't make any of you do something you're not comfortable with, but I must ask you to please consider this. It is my hope that, if the results are promising, the Mind Healers might be deployed to the rest of the battalion and then, eventually some sort of rotation could be started with the rest of the fleet. There are many out fighting on the front lines, Clones and Jedi alike, who could use some extra support in this area. Myself included." 

Obi Wan looked at the men around him, still exuding wary consideration, and made to stand and take the empty mugs to the kitchenette.

"Obi Wan." 

He stopped at the sound of his name coming from his Commander's lips. Cody had sat still and silent while the rest spoke, staring blankly at the wall opposite him. He blinked and looked first at his General, then at his _vode_ , who were all staring at him expectantly.

"I want you to do it." 

"But sir." 

"Don't make me make it an order." 

"Cody," Obi Wan objected, but Cody held up his hand, causing Kenobi to raise an eyebrow, but remain quiet. 

"I know what you're thinking. We're clones, Mind Healers, Jedi temples...those things aren't _for_ us." Obi Wan wanted to object, but at the cowed look on all the men's faces he realized that was exactly what they thought. His anger flared at the Kaminoans and the Jedi alike, for teaching his men, his friends, to doubt their value, for allowing them to believe it. 

"But the General is offering you this...this _mirjahaal_ and I think you should take it." He looked at them each in turn. "For yourselves, and for your brothers." 

Evaar swallowed a few times and slowly released his knees so that they fell into a cross-legged position and consciously lowered his hands to his lap. 

"Okay. I'll do it." He nodded, as if confirming the thought to himself. Cody reached over to squeeze his _vod'ika's_ shoulder and Evaar sent him a small smile. 

On the sofa behind him Agro shifted slightly, bringing his arm down from Inks' shoulders to instead clasp their hands. 

"I won't stay without Inks." 

The General smiled. "Nor should you. I believe Fox could use some extra help with the guard stationed here on Courascant for a while." 

Inks relaxed marginally at that and Agro nodded. 

"Alright then. I'll do it too." 

Obi Wan nodded. "Good. Thank you. I think...this may benefit more people than you realize." 

Sensing the men could use some privacy, Obi Wan went ahead and collected the mugs and made his way back across the room to the kitchenette, unsurprised when Cody followed. 

"Thank you," Cody said quietly, when they were out of earshot. 

Obi Wan sent him a smile. "It's the least I could do." 

"What did the council think when you brought it up?" 

"Some were in favor right away. Others needed some convincing, but...considering the Jedi are the ones who commissioned the clone army and now are the ones who command them...it seems like a straight line conclusion that we would be the ones responsible for your well being, both physical and mental." 

Cody hmm'd, turning to lean against the small countertop to look over at the living space where Evaar had been pulled up onto the couch, squished in between his _ori'vod_ , all three of them with heads bent low in conversation. 

"Thank you for helping convince them." 

The corner of Cody's mouth tilted up. 

" _Ni hukaat'kama_." He saw the General face him out of the corner of his eye and turned to look at him. " _Ratiin jetii'vod._ " 

If Cody saw Obi Wan's eyes turn misty, or the pink tinge that rose in his cheeks and ears when he turned away, he had the grace not to say so. 

Just as he pretended not to hear the way the General's voice cracked slightly over his whispered response. 

" _Vor entye, ner'burc'ya._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please review if you feel inclined! I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> Mando'a:  
> ge'hutuun - a criminal you have no respect for  
> Ni hukaat'kama - I've got your back  
> Ratiin - always  
> jetii'vod - Jedi Brother  
> Vor entye - thank you  
> ner'burc'ya - my friend

**Author's Note:**

> Mando'a: 
> 
> vod - brother  
> ori'vod - older brother, best/special brother  
> vod'ika - little brother  
> Copaani mirshmure'cye, vod? - Are you looking for a smack in the face, mate?  
> ridurrok - love bond, specifically between spouses, marriage agreement  
> darasuum - eternal  
> mandokar - the *right stuff*, the epitome of Mando virtue - a blend of aggression, tenacity, loyalty and a lust for life  
> shereshoy - lust for life and much more - uniquely Mandalorian word, meaning the enjoyment of each day and the determination to seek and grab every possible experience, as well as surviving to see the next day - hanging onto life and relishing it.  
> mando'ade - Mandalorians (pl) - sons and/ or daughters of Mandalore


End file.
